Every day, people stop and stare at egg displays at the supermarket. They open and close the egg cartons, look at pictures on the carton of hens dancing in the sunshine, and mull over words, like “natural” or “organic,” in an effort to determine if the eggs they are holding were laid by happy hens.
For people who care how hens are raised, the quickest and easiest solution to this egg dilemma is to look for egg cartons with the Certified Humane Raised and Handled® label. The Certified Humane® label assures consumers that farmers are adhering to a precise set of Animal Care Standards. These standards are written and continually updated by world-renowned veterinarians and animal welfare scientists. And, in the interest of full transparency, our Standards
are displayed on our website for everyone see.
In addition to lighting, air, and food requirements, these standards also require cage-free living, enrichments for the hens, like perches and proper space where they can do what hens do, like flapping their wings or dustbathing their feathers.
The Certified Humane® label also guarantees that third-party inspectors – veterinarians and animal welfare scientists with master’s degrees or Ph.D.’s in their field of farm animal care – routinely inspect farms to ensure these standards are always being met and followed.
Simply put, the Certified Humane® label lets consumers know that Humane Farm Animal Care is on the job setting the standards and verifying the well-being of the laying hens in the program.
This knowledge will make you a rock star on the egg aisle. As you hone in on the Certified Humane® label and grab your eggs and go, people will see your certainty about your purchase and will stop to look at what eggs you just bought.
If you feel compelled to educate others about the Certified Humane® label, we want you to be super savvy about the egg industry’s marketing lingo. After all, your friends may try to convince you their “natural” eggs belong to hens that are humanely-raised too. (They are not).
So, here’s a primer on the terms most commonly seen on egg cartons and what those terms mean (or don’t mean) for the hens on the farm.
ORGANIC
The “Organic” label, regulated by the USDA, addresses environmental issues, and not the well-being of laying hens. The USDA defines “Organic” as a labeling term “that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.”
While a USDA blog refers to organic eggs as coming from hens who have “liberal access to the outdoors,” it does not provide any specific requirements of the space and leaves it up the farmer and certifying agent to decide upon.
NON-GMO
Non-GMO means a hen is fed a diet that is free from genetically-modified organisms. That is good, but that’s all it means when alone on an egg carton. “Non-GMO” doesn’t outline any humane standards of care for laying hens.
VEGETARIAN-FED
Some people think the words “Vegetarian-Fed” means hens are vegetarians. They are not. On pasture, hens eat worms, grubs, and bugs. But vegetarian-fed does mean your hens aren’t being fed animal by-products, like ground chicken. This is a good thing, which is covered in our Animal Care Standards too. But again, these words alone do not offer any humane standards of care for laying hens.
CAGE-FREE
This label is regulated by the USDA, and means, “Hens can move freely within the building/hen house and have unlimited access to food and fresh water during their production cycle.” Under this term, however, the USDA offers no space requirements for the laying hens. The Certified Humane® program requires “1.5 square feet per hen, litter for dust bathing, perches for the birds, and ammonia levels at a maximum of 10ppm, which means the scent is imperceptible,” just to cite a few of our humane standards for hens living cage-free in barns.
FREE-RANGE
The “Free-Range” label is regulated by the USDA and acknowledges “continuous access to the outdoors during their production cycle, which may or may not be fenced and/or covered with netting-like material.” It sounds great, but like the word “Organic,” Free-Range doesn’t stipulate what outdoor access really means, or how much space is required for the hens, which means anyone can put “Free-Range” on their label, even if the hens are outside for five minutes. Certified Humane® defines Free-Range as having at least 6 hours of outdoor access and a minimum of two square feet of outdoor space per bird.
PASTURE-RAISED
The term “Pasture-Raised” is not regulated by the USDA and is a marketing term used solely to confuse consumers. Wow, right? This marketing term dupes many consumers into believing that hens are on pasture-all day. Because it’s not a regulated term, anyone can slap “pasture-raised” across their egg carton. Certified Humane® does have a definition for “Pasture-Raised, which requires 6-hours of outdoor space and 2-square-feet per bird. Currently, eight farms are Certified Humane® “Pasture-Raised.”
NATURAL
Under the USDA, “Meat, poultry, and egg products labeled as “natural” must be minimally-processed and contain no artificial ingredients.” In other words, the “natural” label is about how the food is processed and does not include any definitions for how the hens are care for on the farm.
NO ADDED HORMONES
It might surprise you to learn that Federal regulations have banned the use of growth in hormones in poultry since the 1950s.
So, labels that say, “no antibiotics” or “no hormones” on egg cartons are just trying to make you think that other farmers may be using them. It’s a sneaky term that again has nothing to do with the humane treatment of laying hens.
HUMANE
The word “Humane” is not regulated by the USDA, which is why Humane Farm Animal Care launched in 2003 and gathered the world’s top veterinarians and animal welfare scientists to write humane standards of care for farm animals. Just like any other animal, cows, chickens, pigs, sheep, goats, turkeys and other farm animals deserve to have their emotional, mental and physical needs met. We believe they should be raised and housed in a way that allows them to express natural behaviors throughout their lives. Backed by science and confirmed by inspectors, the Certified Humane Raised and Handled® label is the label egg shoppers should look for it they want to buy their eggs from farmers interested in meeting a higher standard of welfare for their hens. We hope shopping on the egg aisle just got easier for you. Check out our Where to Buy page or download our Certified Humane® app to find stores near you with Certified Humane® eggs.
Posted: February 28, 2018 by Certified Humane®
PETA’s latest…
PETA has launched another attack campaign against Humane Farm Animal Care’s Certified Humane® program. We wish they would stop picking on farmers who are trying to do the right thing for farm animals, but we know this is part of their fundraising efforts every year.
In September 2017, PETA went to a farm in Pennsylvania that offered public tours and took selective videos of this farm. Per our records, this farm had an unannounced inspection one month prior, in August 2017. The inspection was conducted by one of our third-party farm animal welfare experts: veterinarians and scientists with expertise in their species of farm animals. According to the inspection report, the farm met all the requirements of the Certified Humane® program.
This farm sells their eggs to Nellie’s Free-Range Eggs, the first egg producer to become Certified Humane®, so their commitment to animal welfare is long-established.
The comments made by PETA-supporting veterinarians, Dr. Holly Cheever, Dr. Lester Castro Freedlander and Dr. Greg Burkett, were based on watching the video, which can be misleading, and not from actual engagement with the hens on the farm.
Here are PETA’s claims and our replies…
Reply: The Humane Farm Animal Care Scientific Committee comprised of 40 international animal scientists and veterinarians who wrote our standards, concluded that 1.2 sq. ft. of space per bird in a cage-free barn of this type is the minimum space needed for the hens to exhibit natural behaviors. In addition, the outdoor space for free-range laying hens is 2 sq. ft/bird. This farm meets both those standards.
Reply: HFAC Standards require: “Outdoor access, must be provided for a minimum of 6 hours per day during the daytime, except during inclement weather or for veterinary or emergency reasons.” On this farm, the doors are open to the birds between 1:30 p.m. and nightfall, which meets our requirements. The birds don’t go outside if it is below 54 degrees Fahrenheit, above 94 degrees Fahrenheit, or if it is raining or muddy. The birds must be kept indoors at night to prevent predators from attacking them. Farms often keep hens inside during cold or bad weather.
Reply: There are very specific requirements for the hatches in our Standards. “Hens must have sufficient exit areas appropriately distributed around the buildings i.e., at least one exit every 50 feet along one side of the house to ensure that all hens have ready-access to the outdoor areas. Each exit must allow the passage of more than one hen at a time. Exits must be at least 18” high and 21” wide.” This farm meets these standards.
Reply: According to our Standards, birds are allowed to be beak-trimmed; there is no “cutting off” beaks. The beak trimming must be done before 10 days of age and in a very specific way to meet our Standards. Our Scientific Committee concluded that if the procedure is done under 10 days of age, there is no lasting effect to the birds and assures the birds will not peck each other to death. The reason we allow beak trimming is that, no matter how much space hens have, they WILL feather peck each other. Studies show birds that are not beak-trimmed have a high mortality rate. Our inspector verified the farm not only followed our Standards but has more than the required number of perches for the birds, which helps minimize pecking behaviors.
The air quality in the barns was also less than 10 ppm of ammonia, which is a major indicator of the farmer’s care since this means their litter, which the birds use for dustbathing is more than adequate and well-managed.
“Contracting a disease is initially solely dependent on whether or not a flock has the disease. They cannot spread what they don’t have. Handling healthy bird poses very little risk of disease transmission. Currently, there are no strains of avian influenza in the US.” – Dr. Gregg Burkett
According to our inspection reports, this farm meets all HFAC’s Standards, and then some. If this farm had things to hide, they would not allow public tours on their property.
The Certified Humane program strives to be fully-transparent. Our Standards are on our website for all to see. https://certifiedhumane.org/how-we-work/our-standards/
Our Scientific Committee is made up of the best farm animal scientists and veterinarians in the world. https://certifiedhumane.org/how-we-work/scientific-committee/
PETA’s agenda is to convert people to veganism. See “Does PETA have the right to determine what’s humane considering their view on animals, January 13, 2016)
Our program does not care whether people are vegans, vegetarians or meat eaters. That decision is up to you. Our nonprofit’s mission is to ensure farm animals raised for food are raised in ways that ensure their needs are being met. These needs are not based on our perception of their needs, but their actual needs as determined by our Scientific Committee. It’s unfortunate that PETA is attempting to ruin the reputation of an honorable farmer and egg company whose intentions towards their hens are the most humane.
Posted: February 20, 2018 by Certified Humane®
How to decode egg labels
Every day, people stop and stare at egg displays at the supermarket. They open and close the egg cartons, look at pictures on the carton of hens dancing in the sunshine, and mull over words, like “natural” or “organic,” in an effort to determine if the eggs they are holding were laid by happy hens.
For people who care how hens are raised, the quickest and easiest solution to this egg dilemma is to look for egg cartons with the Certified Humane Raised and Handled® label. The Certified Humane® label assures consumers that farmers are adhering to a precise set of Animal Care Standards. These standards are written and continually updated by world-renowned veterinarians and animal welfare scientists. And, in the interest of full transparency, our Standards
are displayed on our website for everyone see.
In addition to lighting, air, and food requirements, these standards also require cage-free living, enrichments for the hens, like perches and proper space where they can do what hens do, like flapping their wings or dustbathing their feathers.
The Certified Humane® label also guarantees that third-party inspectors – veterinarians and animal welfare scientists with master’s degrees or Ph.D.’s in their field of farm animal care – routinely inspect farms to ensure these standards are always being met and followed.
Simply put, the Certified Humane® label lets consumers know that Humane Farm Animal Care is on the job setting the standards and verifying the well-being of the laying hens in the program.
This knowledge will make you a rock star on the egg aisle. As you hone in on the Certified Humane® label and grab your eggs and go, people will see your certainty about your purchase and will stop to look at what eggs you just bought.
If you feel compelled to educate others about the Certified Humane® label, we want you to be super savvy about the egg industry’s marketing lingo. After all, your friends may try to convince you their “natural” eggs belong to hens that are humanely-raised too. (They are not).
So, here’s a primer on the terms most commonly seen on egg cartons and what those terms mean (or don’t mean) for the hens on the farm.
ORGANIC
The “Organic” label, regulated by the USDA, addresses environmental issues, and not the well-being of laying hens. The USDA defines “Organic” as a labeling term “that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.”
While a USDA blog refers to organic eggs as coming from hens who have “liberal access to the outdoors,” it does not provide any specific requirements of the space and leaves it up the farmer and certifying agent to decide upon.
NON-GMO
Non-GMO means a hen is fed a diet that is free from genetically-modified organisms. That is good, but that’s all it means when alone on an egg carton. “Non-GMO” doesn’t outline any humane standards of care for laying hens.
VEGETARIAN-FED
Some people think the words “Vegetarian-Fed” means hens are vegetarians. They are not. On pasture, hens eat worms, grubs, and bugs. But vegetarian-fed does mean your hens aren’t being fed animal by-products, like ground chicken. This is a good thing, which is covered in our Animal Care Standards too. But again, these words alone do not offer any humane standards of care for laying hens.
CAGE-FREE
This label is regulated by the USDA, and means, “Hens can move freely within the building/hen house and have unlimited access to food and fresh water during their production cycle.” Under this term, however, the USDA offers no space requirements for the laying hens. The Certified Humane® program requires “1.5 square feet per hen, litter for dust bathing, perches for the birds, and ammonia levels at a maximum of 10ppm, which means the scent is imperceptible,” just to cite a few of our humane standards for hens living cage-free in barns.
FREE-RANGE
The “Free-Range” label is regulated by the USDA and acknowledges “continuous access to the outdoors during their production cycle, which may or may not be fenced and/or covered with netting-like material.” It sounds great, but like the word “Organic,” Free-Range doesn’t stipulate what outdoor access really means, or how much space is required for the hens, which means anyone can put “Free-Range” on their label, even if the hens are outside for five minutes. Certified Humane® defines Free-Range as having at least 6 hours of outdoor access and a minimum of two square feet of outdoor space per bird.
PASTURE-RAISED
The term “Pasture-Raised” is not regulated by the USDA and is a marketing term used solely to confuse consumers. Wow, right? This marketing term dupes many consumers into believing that hens are on pasture-all day. Because it’s not a regulated term, anyone can slap “pasture-raised” across their egg carton. Certified Humane® does have a definition for “Pasture-Raised, which requires 6-hours of outdoor space and 2-square-feet per bird. Currently, eight farms are Certified Humane® “Pasture-Raised.”
NATURAL
Under the USDA, “Meat, poultry, and egg products labeled as “natural” must be minimally-processed and contain no artificial ingredients.” In other words, the “natural” label is about how the food is processed and does not include any definitions for how the hens are care for on the farm.
NO ADDED HORMONES
It might surprise you to learn that Federal regulations have banned the use of growth in hormones in poultry since the 1950s.
So, labels that say, “no antibiotics” or “no hormones” on egg cartons are just trying to make you think that other farmers may be using them. It’s a sneaky term that again has nothing to do with the humane treatment of laying hens.
HUMANE
The word “Humane” is not regulated by the USDA, which is why Humane Farm Animal Care launched in 2003 and gathered the world’s top veterinarians and animal welfare scientists to write humane standards of care for farm animals. Just like any other animal, cows, chickens, pigs, sheep, goats, turkeys and other farm animals deserve to have their emotional, mental and physical needs met. We believe they should be raised and housed in a way that allows them to express natural behaviors throughout their lives. Backed by science and confirmed by inspectors, the Certified Humane Raised and Handled® label is the label egg shoppers should look for it they want to buy their eggs from farmers interested in meeting a higher standard of welfare for their hens. We hope shopping on the egg aisle just got easier for you. Check out our Where to Buy page or download our Certified Humane® app to find stores near you with Certified Humane® eggs.
Posted: November 10, 2017 by Certified Humane®
What makes a turkey a Certified Humane® turkey?
When you purchase food with the Certified Humane® label, you’re supporting farmers who support the humane treatment of farm animals by following our precise Standards of Animal Care. When you purchase food with the Certified Humane® label, you’re supporting farmers who support the humane treatment of farm animals by following our precise Standards of Animal Care.
Take turkeys, for example.
These standards and more are compliant with standards verified annually by independent, specially trained, auditors with expertise in their fields.
To find stores that sell Certified Humane® turkeys and other products, visit our “Where to Buy” page or download our free Certified Humane® App.
And, if you can’t find a Certified Humane® turkey or other food items at your local grocery store, please visit our Take Action page to see how you can encourage grocery stores to carry these products. When consumers demand it, grocery stores will carry it, and it will make a world of difference for farm animals.
Posted: May 24, 2017 by Certified Humane®
HONEY SWEETIE ACRES, GOSHEN OHIO
Regina and Steve Bauscher operate Honey Sweetie Acres, a goat farm in Goshen, Ohio, that produces the only artisan goat milk soaps and lotions on the Certified Humane Raised and Handled® program.
Honey Sweetie Acres gets its name from a reality TV show. When the man in the series kept referring to his wife as “Honey” and “Sweetie,” Regina told her husband Steve, “See, a man can get his wife to do almost anything if he used words like “Honey” and “Sweetie.”
A week later, Regina drove onto their farm to find a sign above the goat pen that said, “Honey Sweetie Acres.” With that, the name stuck to the delight of their customers.
Even though Regina and Steve grew up around horses, chickens, and rabbits, as adults, Regina worked in the business world, and Steve worked in construction. When their kids left home, the couple moved their empty nest to a more rural area and bought a six-acre home site, complete with a historical cemetery from the 1800s. They got two goats to produce milk for themselves and family.
But Regina’s background in chemistry and experience in atomic absorption spectroscopy, water analysis, and gas chromatography made her curious about how to use goat milk to solve a problem for Steve. After years in construction, his hands were severely cracked and often peeling. Over the counter and prescription lotions provided little to no relief. So, Regina began experimenting with soap-making, using goat milk to heal her husband’s hands.
“After a month of using our goat milk soap, not only did his hands improve, they healed, and the problem has never returned,” she said. “I started letting family and friends use our soap, and they said they no longer had to use copious amounts of lotion to moisturize their skin.”
Regina decided she was onto something and did more research on how to make artisan goat milk soap and natural skin care products. “We wanted to share the benefits of goat milk with others who might suffer from a myriad of skin conditions,” she said. “Goat milk soap cannot cure eczema, psoriasis or other inflammatory conditions, but it often can help provide some degree of skin comfort and relief, varying from person to person.”
Today, having grown their business by double digits every year for the past three years, Regina and Steve both work full time on the farm, which now has 30 Nigerian Dwarf Goats, “a species that was on the endangered list just ten years ago,” says Regina. “They are the fastest growing breed in the U.S. because of their easy-going nature and small size. They top out at 60 pounds compared to 150 pounds for other goats, making them easy to raise on a small farm.”
The goats spend their days outdoors, “often keeping the cemetery neat and tidy,” says Regina, “or keeping busy climbing on their special play set, which is a children’s playset that has been cut down to size so that they can climb all over the slides and ramps.”
The goats also like to participate in their Yoga with Goats class, where the goats get to wander around and climb onto the backs of participating yoga students. “We like helping people shed stress by laughing and enjoying the goats,” says Regina.
While the goats love winter as much as summer and look forward to being out in the snow, “they don’t like the rain and will scream and run back to the barn at the first little drop,” Regina says.
The Bauscher’s recently built the goats a new barn with more light and space, and converted the old barn into a soap production building where they will produce up to 33,000 bars of soap a month.
Because some of their artisan products are goat-milk based, Regina wanted to find a certification program to assure consumers about how the goats were raised and fed.
“A lot of non-farm animal people don’t know how farm animals are raised,” she said. “With all the interest in animal welfare, we wanted to assure our consumers about how we care for our goats, and the Certified Humane label on the products let’s us do that.”
Honey Sweetie Acres artisan products are available online at http://www.honeysweetieacres.com or in local stores in Ohio. Visit Certified Humane’s Where to Buy Page to find their products.
Posted: March 7, 2017 by Certified Humane®
Broad Brook Acres, Preston, Connecticut
Michael and Christian Swanson raise Certified Humane® pigs at Broad Brook Acres in Preston, Connecticut.
Christian’s been in agriculture for most of her adult life. She attended the University of Connecticut for Animal Science with a focus on livestock management and has managed beef cattle and alpaca herds. She put agricultural work on hold for a few years to work as animal control officer. But her love for farming was rekindled when she met her husband Michael, who attended culinary school before serving nine years in the US Marine Corps and Reserves.
As a couple, Michael and Christian started raising pigs together on a friend’s pasture. They purchased their farm in 2014, to raise registered Berkshire pigs and crossbred hogs on pasture and woodland lots. The couple breeds Berkshire pigs, which love the cold weather, and purchase crossbred pigs from a reputable producer in the area. They are one of only two registered Berkshire breeders in Connecticut.
“The pigs were a good choice for our property since their rotational grazing habits have helped clear the wooded areas and improve the pasture land,” says Christian.
Broad Brook Acres Berkshire piglets are born in outdoor farrowing sheds where they live with their mother until they are around six-weeks-old. Once weaned, the piglets are moved to a grow-out pen until they are ready to transition to one of the farm’s pasture lands. All of the pigs are kept in rotational groups based on size and age until they are ready for processing, at roughly five to seven months.
“My husband and I began raising pigs because we both strongly disagree with the way pork is raised on commercial farms in this country,” says Christian. “Not only does the meat lack flavor, but the animals live a sad life on concrete where they cannot exhibit their natural behaviors for a happy, healthy life.”
The couple learned about Certified Humane from the Ledyard Vocational Agriculture School, which also raises Certified Humane pigs, sheep, and laying hens. Their pigs have access to the outdoors 24-7. They also spend time observing their animals, paying attention to their needs and making sure they are getting everything they need to stay healthy and happy.
“As producers, animal welfare is important to us,” says Christian. “We enjoy watching our pigs rooting around in the dirt and knowing that their needs have been met in the most natural way. We spend time with our pigs, rubbing bellies, scratching behind ears and giving treats to ensure they are happy.”
Christian says animal welfare is extremely important to their customers, too. While area residents love to visit the farm to see how the pigs are raised, not everyone can visit a farm – that’s where the Certified Humane Raised and Handled® label tells their farm story. “Certified Humane® sets the standards,” says Christian. “Our animals live the best life we can give them and being in the Certified Humane® program shows our customers that we take those standards very seriously.”