All livestock farms, big and small, make claims about how they raise their animals. Most claims are bad, worse, or the worst: things that are misleading, downright disingenuous, or simply attest the farm doesn't participate in illegal practices. I know we sound mean right now, but let's break it down.
Misleading is saying "pasture raised" on a carton of eggs, but small print clarifies the birds have "pasture access" but that actually means they have a 2x2 foot space of outdoor access adjacent to a giant barn that houses 10,000 hens.
Disingenuous is "all natural" on a package of pork chops, because this has no meaningful animal welfare, animal feed, or animal management practice claims.
"No hormones added" to a package of pork tenderloin is bonkers. Administering growth-promoting hormones to pigs in the US is totally illegal, so a company highlighting on their label that they haven't done so is just saying "look at me, I didn't break the law, wee."
Obviously we have a lot to say on animal welfare claims and labels on meat. We realize now this might not be the right place to rant about it, so see our conference presentation on this topic for more.
To combat all of this nonsense, we are proud to have a third-party audited, ISO 17065, transparent animal welfare certification.
This is the only food label that follows the life of all animals from birth through slaughter, so customers know exactly where the animals have been and how they were raised.
Further, Animal Welfare Approved by A Greener World
- is the only truly pasture-based welfare label
- promotes and guarantees responsible farming practices
- is the only USDA approved label that entirely prohibits feedlots, cages, and crates
- is the only label with species-specific standards, verified by a third-party certifying everything from outdoor access and feed to high welfare practices that comply with the animal’s natural behavior.
For more details and to read all the species-specific standards, visit A Greener World’s website.