Compass: Certified Humane

Certified Humane Organic foods have long graced store shelves. But there’s another label that may be just as important. Here’s something to start looking for on your grocery products.

Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC) is a non-profit organization that manages a program ensuring the humane birth, care and slaughter of farm animals. In order to use the “Certified Humane Raised & Handled” label, producers must complete and pass a rigorous application and maintenance process developed by expert scientists and veterinarians.

HFAC, unlike many certification operations, is extremely transparent, and their website provides highly detailed documents laying out the standards and requirements for animal welfare. You can even find a chart showing the differences between Certified Humane, Animal Welfare Approved, Global Animal Partnership (Whole Foods), USDA/Organic and American Humane Certified.

So, if you ever think about the life of your food, you should note that while the label USDA/Organic ensures animals eat organic feed, the Certified Humane label offers the most trustworthy and comprehensive guarantee for overall animal welfare.