CRIMES WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES - gpvec

Crimes Without ConsequenCes
independent professional auditing company that also conducts audits for the National
Organic Program. Relatively little information is provided on the program’s webpage,
and the program standards are not posted.
American Humane Certified standards address the care and handling of beef cattle, dairy
cattle, sheep, pigs, turkeys, meat chickens and laying hens. American Humane Certified
has no plans to develop standards to cover additional species. Standards for the slaughter
of meat chickens are similar to those of Certified Humane, with the exception that use of
gas stunning with argon or argon and carbon dioxide mixtures is not currently allowed.
10.2 Animal Welfare Approved
AWI formally launched its Animal Welfare Approved program in November 2006.
AWI developed its husbandry standards in collaboration with farmers, scientists
and veterinarians with expertise in farm animal health and well-being. Farms and
slaughter plants are audited on a yearly basis. The Animal Welfare Approved seal is
bestowed on family farms that raise all of a species of animal under the program’s
standards and do not engage in dual production—that is, the program prohibits raising
some animals of a particular species under the seal of approval while raising others of
that species under intensively reared factory-farming conditions.
Standards have been created for beef cattle, dairy cattle, pigs, sheep, turkeys, meat
chickens, egg-laying hens, ducks, geese and rabbits. Standards for goats are pending.
Farmers are not charged fees for participating in the program. Information regarding
Animal Welfare Approved, including its species-specific standards, is available on the
program’s website. 251
The program supports increased availability and use of the CAK system for birds such
that it can be a future requirement. CAK permits birds to be killed in their transport
crates. Oxygen is slowly replaced by a mixture of argon and carbon dioxide gas,
which is preferable to shackling, hoisting and hanging conscious birds. The Animal
Welfare Approved program audits slaughter plants used by farms in its program and,
when necessary, advises them regarding how to improve their handling and slaughter
techniques. All audit reports are confidential.
10.3 Certified Humane
The Certified Humane program, which has application, inspection and certification fees,
is administered by Humane Farm Animal Care and funded in part by HSUS and the
ASPCA. Animal behavior scientists and veterinarians with expertise in farm animal care
developed the standards. These advisors recommend revisions to the standards and assist
with audits of farms and slaughter plants. Species-specific standards are available on
the program website, along with additional information about the program including its
policy manual.
251 Animal Welfare Approved website. (http://www.animalwelfareapproved.org)
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