Animal Certifications Explained
How an animal is raised changes its nutrient profile. While it is always wonderful to be able to truly know your farmer and frequent the farm to see how the animals are being raised, this is not the reality for everyone. Therefore, you need to be able to make informed purchases when buying animal products at stores. While organic animal products are becoming easier to find in nearly all stores but this does not mean they are all excellent choices.. Labels with certifications can help you, as the consumer, make informed choices. However, it can be difficult to know exactly what the certification means! Here is an outline of some of the major independent certification bodies that complete third party inspections to help you make choices that are right for your family. We have outlined some of the major concerns that consumers have when making purchases. Access the individual websites to find out more about their practices.
American Grassfed - Label for beef, bison goat, lamb and sheep
Pasture: Animals are fed only grass and forage from weaning until harvest. Feedlots: Feedlots are not permitted Confinement: Animals are raised on pasture without confinement Growth hormones/Growth promoters: Animals are not given growth promoters/hormones. Antibiotics: Animals are not given antibiotics. If animal is given antibiotics, it is not sold under this program. Vaccines: Vaccines are individual herd management decisions, and not covered under a feeding/pasture protocol. Animal by-products in feed: Pastured only-No feed given Use of grains for cattle: Pastured only-No grain given Audited/traced from birth to slaughter: Animals are traced from birth through slaughter Slaughter facilities inspected: Inspection of processing facilities is not required. Many producers are small, and by limiting their access to small local processors, who only handle small numbers of animals, it would put them at a disadvantage if they had to bypass a small local processor to travel a longer distance to one that is audited. Third Party audited: Farms are audited by independent third parties
American Humane Certified Pasture: Dairy and Beef cattle are not required to be outdoors. Does not require that chickens or pigs have access to the outdoors Feedlots: Feedlots are allowed Confinement: Laying hens can be caged Growth hormones/Growth promoters: Animals are not given growth promoters/hormones. Antibiotics: Animals are not given antibiotics except for therapeutic purposes Vaccines: Vaccines are allowed Animal by-products in feed: Allows some animal by-products in the feed Use of grains for cattle: Cows are fed grains Audited from birth to slaughter: Unknown Slaughter facilities inspected: Slaughtering facilities are not inspected. Third Party audited: Unknown
Animal Welfare Approved
Mobile app: http://animalwelfareapproved.org/food-labels-exposed/ Pasture: Requires that all animals have access to pasture. Pasture does not have to be organic, but animals are kept off fields after any spraying/treatment for a certain period of time. Feedlots: Cattle feedlots are not allowed Confinement: Confinement systems/pens/cages that restrict birds’ natural behaviors are prohibited. Growth hormones/Growth promoters: Animals are not given growth promoters/hormones. Antibiotics: Animals are not given antibiotics except for disease treatment of individual animal. Animals treated with an antibiotic must not be slaughtered or used to produce milk until after a withdrawal period. Vaccines: Vaccines are permitted Animal by-products in feed: No animal by-products in the feed and GMOs are avoided “wherever possible” (Feeding sustainable fish and aquatic products to chickens and pigs is permitted) Use of grains for cattle: Grain feeding is permitted, but cattle must be provided with 70 percent forage in their diet from weaning onwards Audited from birth to slaughter: Animals are audited from birth through slaughter Slaughter facilities inspected: Slaughter facilities are audited for compliance to standards Third Party audited: Compliance is ensured through third party audits
Animal Welfare Approved Certified Grassfed
The Certified Grassfed by AGW standards are an optional addition to the Animal Welfare Approved Certification. In order for animals to be approved as Certified Grassfed by AGW they must also be approved under the AWA species specific standards. ***These standards are not yet applicable to dairy cattle. Pasture: With the exception of milk consumed prior to weaning the diet of grassfed animals must solely be derived from grass and forage throughout their lives. Feedlots: Cattle feedlots are not allowed Growth hormones/Growth promoters: Animals are not given growth promoters/hormones. Antibiotics: Animals are not given antibiotics except for disease treatment of individual animal. Animals treated with an antibiotic must not be slaughtered or used to produce milk until after a withdrawal period. Vaccines: Vaccines are permitted Animal by-products in feed: Pastured only-No grain given Use of grains for cattle: Animals cannot be fed grain, grain by-products or any other form of feed concentrate, Dry harvested legumes (pea, bean, lupin), Corn/Maize, Soy, Grain residue or by-products including distillers grains. Pasture Fed animals may be supplemented with hay, haylage, baleage, silage, crop residue (straw) without grain and other natural sources of roughage while on pasture. Audited from birth to slaughter: Grassfed animals must be traceable throughout their entire lives from birth to slaughter. Slaughter facilities inspected: Slaughter facilities are audited for compliance to standards Third Party audited: Compliance is ensured through third party audits
HFAC Certified Humane (Humane Farm Animal Care) or Certified Humane Raised and Handled
To find where to purchase HFAC certified humane products, check out their mobile app: http://certifiedhumane.org/download-our-mobile-app/ Pasture: Dairy and Beef cattle, as well as Sheep must have access to the outdoors. Chickens, turkeys, or pigs may have access to the outdoors, but it is not required. Feedlots: Feedlots are permitted, but must allow for ample room for the cattle to move and have equal access to clean food and water. Confinement: Animals must be uncaged and able to perform natural behaviors. For Pigs, no farrowing crates are allowed, for Dairy Cattle no tie stalls Growth hormones/Growth promoters: Animals are not given growth promoters/hormones. Antibiotics: Animals are not given antibiotics except for disease treatment of individual animal under the supervision of a veterinarian (same for all species). Vaccines: Vaccines are permitted as part of an overall health plan developed by a veterinarian. Detailed records must be kept on the administration and made available to the auditors. Animal by-products in feed: No animal by-products in the feed Use of grains for cattle: Cows are allowed grains Audited from birth to slaughter: Animals are audited from birth through slaughter Slaughter facilities inspected: Slaughter facilities are inspected Third Party audited: Compliance is ensured through third party audits with highly skilled/educated scientists or veterinarians who specialize in the type of farms that they audit. ***Traceability: Every package, carton or case that has the Certified Humane® logo on it can be traced back to the farm, barn, flock or herd that was inspected and certified.
HFAC Certified Humane Free Range
Pasture: Hens must be outdoors, weather permitting, 6 hours a day. Confinement: Industry standard is a “pop hole” for chickens with no full body access to the outdoors required. Certified humane free range requires 2 sq. ft. per bird. ***All other requirements for HFAC Certification apply
HFAC Certified Humane Pasture Raised
Pasture: Birds are on pasture and limited to 1000 birds per 2.5 acres and fields must be rotated. Confinement: Hens must be outdoors year round with housing to protect themselves from predators. ***All other requirements for HFAC Certification apply
Global Animal Partnership
(Whole Foods Standards Stages 1 to 5+)
Pasture: Dairy and Beef cattle must have access to the outdoors. Does NOT require that chickens or pigs have access to the outdoors. See below for steps/details.
Feedlots: Dairy and Beef cattle must have access to the outdoors, but feedlot finishing is permitted. See Steps below for further clarification. Confinement: Does NOT require that all steps of chickens or pigs have access to the outdoors. See Steps below for further clarification. Growth hormones/Growth promoters: Animals are not given growth promoters/hormones. Antibiotics: Animals are not given antibiotics even in the case of disease. If animal is given antibiotics to treat disease, it is not sold under this program. Vaccines: Vaccines are permitted Animal by-products in feed: No animal by-products in the feed Use of grains for cattle: Cows are allowed grains Audited from birth to slaughter: Only GAP step 5+ requires animals be born and live their entire lives on the same farm. Slaughter facilities inspected: Slaughtering facilities are not inspected. Third Party audited: Compliance is ensured through third party audits
GAP Steps for Chicken
Broiler Chicken Step 1
- No outside access
Broiler Chicken Step 2
- No outside access/enriched indoor environment
Broiler Chicken Step 3
- Seasonal access to the outdoors
Broiler Chicken Step 4
- Enhanced outdoor environment during the day
Broiler Chicken Step 5 and Step 5+
- Live continuously outdoors in an enhanced environment during the day.
- Step 5+ chickens spend their entire lives from placement on a single farm and slaughter is on the farm or local.
GAP steps for Cattle
Cattle Steps 1 and 2
- All cattle must spend at least 2/3 of their lives on range or pasture when conditions permit.
Cattle Step 4 (there is no step 3 for cattle)
- Cattle must spend at least ¾ of their lives on range or pasture when conditions permit. Removing an animal from range or pasture for more than 4 months in any one year or for more than ¼ of the animal’s life is prohibited.
Cattle Step 5 and 5+
- Cattle must live continuously on range or pasture
GAP Steps for Pigs
Pigs Step 1
- Pigs raised in Step 1 systems typically live in a permanent housing structure and are provided the space to express natural behavior. This does not mean that they have access to the outdoors. No farrowing or gestation crates/stalls are allowed
Pigs Step 2
- Pigs in Step 2 live in an enriched indoor environment. Environmental enrichments are materials that are provided to pigs to add complexity to their environment, encourage the expression of natural behavior(s). This does not mean that they have access to the outdoors. No farrowing or gestation crates/stalls are allowed
Pigs Step 3
- Pigs in Step 3 systems have access to the outdoors. Pigs must have continuous unobstructed access to the outdoors during daylight hours. Outdoor access is defined as an outdoor area such as a dry lot, concrete pad, or pasture, but does not have to be pasture. Enrichments are provided in both the indoor and outdoor areas.
Pigs Step 4
- In Step 4, they live continuously on pasture, with access to housing. During winter pigs may be housed with continuous access to the outdoors. Pasture includes access to rangeland, grassland, planted pastures, managed pastures, wooded areas, harvested crop areas (for cleanāup), and any other land where pigs have access to vegetation.
Pigs Step 5 and 5+
- In Step 5 and Step 5+, pigs live continuously outdoors on pasture and may only be housed during extreme weather conditions. In addition to no tail docking and teeth clipping which is prohibited at Step 1, pigs at Step 5 are not allowed to be castrated, noseāringed or ear notched. At Step 5+, pigs spend their lives on a single farm, and are processed at a mobile or onāfarm slaughter facility.
Food Alliance
Pasture: Cattle are on pasture where seasonally appropriate. Feedlots: Feedlots are allowed Confinement: Cattle confinement is allowed; however, Animals cannot be confined to short-term holding pens for more than 30 days per calendar year. For pigs, gestation crates are not allowed, and traditional straight, narrow farrowing crates are not allowed. Acceptable farrowing systems include, but are not limited to, turn-around crates, sloped farrowing pens and outdoor pastures with huts. For chickens, cages are not permitted. Wire floors are not permitted. Growth hormones/Growth promoters: No Growth-promoting Hormones or Other Growth Promotants Used Antibiotics: No antibiotics used, sick animals are treated, but to be sold as Food Alliance certified, cattle cannot receive antibiotics within 100 days of harvesting or twice the label withdrawal period, whichever time period is longer. Sick birds should be treated, however, if antibiotics are used within two weeks of slaughter, birds cannot be sold as Food Alliance certified. Vaccines: Vaccines are permitted Animal by-products in feed: Animal by-products are not allowed Use of grains for cattle: Cattle are allowed grains Audited from birth to slaughter: Feeder animals may be purchased and finished, provided they are purchased from a Food Alliance certified farm or ranch. Slaughter facilities inspected: Slaughter facilities are not inspected Third Party audited: Compliance is ensured through third party audits
Food Alliance -- Grassfed
Pasture: All animals are on range, pasture, or in paddocks for their entire lives Feedlots: Not allowed Confinement: Animals may not be confined in pens, feedlots or other areas where forages or crops are not not grown during the growing season. Animals cannot be confined to short-term holding pens for more than 30 days per calendar year. Growth hormones/Growth promoters: No Growth-promoting Hormones or Other Growth Promotants Used. Antibiotics: No antibiotics used, sick animals are treated, If any animals received antibiotics, producer must show that these animals were marketed separately from the grassfed animals. Vaccines: Vaccines are permitted Animal by-products in feed: Animal by-products are not allowed Use of grains for cattle: Animals are not fed grain or grain byproducts. Roughage byproducts such as cottonseed hulls, peanut hulls, almond hulls and other roughage products are not allowed. Audited from birth to slaughter: For all purchased animals, affidavits are provided by the seller attesting to compliance with all criteria contained in the relevant Food Alliance livestock evaluation criteria and the Food Alliance Grassfed Audit Module. Slaughter facilities inspected: Slaughter facilities are not inspected Third Party audited: Compliance is ensured through third party audits
USDA Certified Organic
Pasture: Animals allowed access to the outdoors year round (weather permitting); however, it may be such a small space that birds do not actually ever go outside. Organic ruminant livestock—such as cattle, sheep, and goats—must have free access to certified organic pasture for the entire grazing season. This period must be at least 120 days. Feedlots: Yards, feeding pads, or feedlots may be used to provide finish feeding rations. These feedlots, pad, and yards must be large enough to allow the ruminant to feed without crowding or competition for food. The feedlot finishing time cannot exceed one-fifth of the animals total life or 120 days, whichever is shorter. Confinement: Animals must have access to the outdoors/sunshine, but minimum access levels of access have not been set. For poultry, indoor confinement must be temporary. Growers are not allowed to cage organic poultry. A certifier evaluates each farm’s system to decide whether density is appropriate. Growth hormones/Growth promoters: Animals are not given growth promoters/hormones. Antibiotics: Animals are not given antibiotics. If animal is given antibiotics to prevent disease, it is not sold under this program Vaccines: Vaccines are permitted. Animal by-products in feed: Feed is 100% certified organic and free from antibiotics. Pastures are certified organic. Use of grains for cattle: Organic ruminants’ diets must contain at least 30 percent dry matter (on average) from certified organic pasture. Ruminant slaughter stock are exempt from the 30 percent pasture requirement for the last fifth of their lives (up to 120 days). This may mean that they receive ALL grain during this time. Audited from birth to slaughter: Animals must be raised organically from the last third of gestation through slaughter Slaughter facilities inspected: Slaughter facilities are inspected Third Party audited: Compliance is verified through a third party.
