They still end up on a Thanksgiving table. But the turkeys at the Organic Bread Basket in Winnipeg have enjoyed a better, if not longer, life than most.

Animal-welfare audits might someday become necessary for market access, but for now, a few producers are voluntarily participating in a certification process to add value and exploit a niche market.

The increased public concern about animal welfare has worked its way even to the major fast-food chains, which have adopted animal-welfare guidelines that producers must follow if they want to sell beef, chicken or eggs to the biggest buyers in the country.

Adele Douglass is the executive director of Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC), a Virginia-based nonprofit organization that administers the “Certified Humane Raised & Handled” program.  What does “Certified Humane” signify, and why should consumers care?

People want clean dairy and meat. They want wild-caught salmon. ‘Fast Food Nation’ did a lot to wake people up to what’s happening, and a lot of people are asking more questions about their food.