Where to find a Certified Humane® turkey this Thanksgiving

A Certified Humane® turkey is one that can flap its wings and move around freely, can perch above the ground at night, eat nutritious food that doesn’t contain antibiotics, and express natural behaviors.  Only a few producers raise turkeys this way – Koch’s Turkey Farm in Pennsylvania (http://www.kochsturkey.com), White Oak Pastures in Georgia (https://whiteoakpastures.com/store), Ayrshire Farm in Virginia (http://store.ayrshirefarm.com), and Footsteps Farm in Connecticut (through www.CTFFE.com).  Consumers can order directly from the companies at their websites listed above, or search for these turkeys in stores in their area at HFAC’s “Where to Buy” page.

Unfortunately in the past, unscrupulous producers and retailers have advertised that their turkeys were “Certified Humane.”  Be sure to look for the Certified Humane® seal and the brands listed above to ensure your turkey is really humanely raised.  “We are hoping that consumers will help us get more turkey producers to meet our standards by next Thanksgiving,” said Adele Douglass, Executive Director of Humane Farm Animal Care. “Information on how to help is on our website.”

Consumers can help get more turkey producers on the program by visiting the “Take Action” page of HFAC’s website and downloading the “Turkey Request Form” to take to their local grocery stores and supermarkets, letting them know that consumers want their suppliers to be Certified Humane®.

HFAC is the leading non-profit certification organization improving the lives of farm animals in food production. The Certified Humane® designation assures consumers that meat, poultry, egg, or dairy products they purchase have been produced according to HFAC’s precise standards for humane farm animal treatment. Animals must receive a nutritious diet without antibiotics or hormones and must be raised with shelter, resting areas and space sufficient to support natural behavior. Since the HFAC program was unveiled in May 2003, more than 90 companies, representing hundreds of farms and millions of farm animals, have been certified.

Endorsed by more than 44 humane organizations, the Certified Humane Raised and Handled® program is nationally recognized as the Gold Standard for certifying animal welfare from birth through slaughter.  HFAC’s Animal Care Standards were developed by a veritable “Who¹s Who” of national and international animal scientists and farm-animal welfare experts.  Producer compliance with the HFAC standards is verified through annual on-site visits by HFAC’s third-party inspectors.

To find out where to purchase these products visit our “Where to Buy” page.