Humane Farm Animal Care (Certified Humane®) Information

Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC) promotes welfare for farm animals, encompassing the entire life cycle, from birth to slaughter. After years of lobbying in Congress for animal rights, Founder and Executive Director Adele Douglass set out to create an alternative to the slow legislative process by creating a voluntary, market-driven solution to farm animal cruelty. The solution was to create a label for food packaging, designating products as Certified Humane®. HFAC acts as a transparent, independent certification organization by setting standards, preforming inspections of farms and slaughter houses, and by conducting traceability audits. The extensive HFAC standards require that animals have the space they need to exhibit natural behaviors and have nutritious diets without animal byproducts or the addition of antibiotics or hormones. Requirements are set for space, air quality, lighting, and other important issues specific to each animal. The standards were set by a Scientific Committee and are supported by evidence. Considered the "Gold Standard" for animal welfare by USA Today, Certified Humane® is endorsed by the Center for Food Safety, the ASPCA, and 44 other humane organizations. HFAC's commitment to farm animals has resulted in many awards, including the 2007 Purpose Prize and 2008 Ashoka Fellowship. Ten years after its founding, HFAC is expanding. In 2012, 76.8 million animals were Certified Humane®. Products can be found in over 7,000 supermarkets nationwide.