What does”humanely-raised” mean?
According to Humaneterian.org, an awesome resource for better understanding of the topic:
The humane care of farm animals falls into three broad categories: where an animal lives, what it eats, and how it is handled and processed. So what farmers and food companies tend to mean when they use the phrase ‘humanely raised’ is one or more of the following:
- The animal was outside for most of its life
- The animal had access to pasture or a foraging area
- The animal was kept indoors but not severely confined
- The animal was able to play and explore in its environment
- The animal was given natural food that it evolved to eat, like grass (not corn or soy)
- The animal was raised with its mother
- The animal was humanely handled by trained employees
- The animal was processed in a conscientious slaughterhouse
With what seems like so many options and with so many different labels out there, how do I know what’s truly humane?
There are at least five labels out there letting consumers know which meat comes from humanely raised livestock. Personally, the two which I believe to be the most humane and transparent are:Animal Welfare Approved (at this time, this is my absolute favorite)The only other certification I feel I can share at this time would be:Global Animal Partnership, otherwise known as the iniciative through Whole Foods Market- There are still some issues I feel very strongly about, which Whole Foods doesn’t seem to look at as closely. For examples, Whole Foods allows for cattle castration without anesthesia and apparently doesn’t care how the animal is slaughtered. (This could have changed in the past couple of years, and I hope it has. I’m looking into this specific issue right now)- However, you can also search for AWA-certified products at your nearest Whole Foods Market, even if their own label doesn’t satisfy every level of concern.Please, take a moment and visit these sites, to read about their specific standards and understand their mission statements. I’ve linked to all three below:
Where can I begin to shop for humanely-raised products?
Please visit the tab titled “Shop Locally” for information on groceries, farmer’s markets, co-ops near you!
