Policy for Humane Animal Certification
Aim to increase certification of humane animal treatment:
- Establish Clear Standard: Develop and maintain precise, objective standards for farm animal treatment, as exemplified by organizations like Certified Humane, Animal Welfare Approved. These standards should prioritize animal welfare over farming systems, ensuring that animals are treated humanely regardless of production methods.
- Independent Auditing and Certification: Encourage the use of independent, third-party auditors and certifiers, such as those mentioned above, to verify compliance with animal welfare standards. This approach ensures transparency, accountability, and consistency in evaluating farm animal treatment practices.
- Labeling and Marketing: Implement a labeling system that clearly indicates products certified for humane animal treatment, allowing consumers to make informed choices. This can include labels like Certified Humane, Animal Welfare Approved.
- Education and Training: Provide education and training for farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals on humane animal treatment practices, emphasizing the importance of animal welfare and the benefits of certification.
- Incentives and Support: Offer incentives, such as financial assistance, technical support, and market access, to farmers and ranchers who adopt humane animal treatment practices and seek certification.
- Regulatory Framework: Establish an independent regulatory framework that recognizes and supports humane animal treatment certification programs, ensuring consistency and coherence across industries and jurisdictions. (This would have to be monitored for corruption or have guardrails to prevent corruption. We don’t want farmers being attacked with this either.)
- Consumer Engagement: Encourage consumer engagement and advocacy through public awareness campaigns, social media, and online platforms, promoting the importance of humane animal treatment and the benefits of certified products.
- Continuous Improvement: Regularly review and update standards, auditing processes, and labeling requirements to ensure continuous improvement and advancement of humane animal treatment practices.
- Encourage natural ecosystems and regenerative practices with farming which increase the natural environment of animals.
Resource: Certified Humane
Definition of Humane"
Humane treatment of animals refers to the avoidance of abuse and exploitation of animals by humans, ensuring their physical and mental well-being throughout their lives. It involves maintaining appropriate standards of accommodation, feeding, and general care, preventing and treating disease, and providing freedom from harassment, unnecessary discomfort, and pain.
Humane treatment of animals encompasses:
- Physical well-being: Providing adequate food, water, shelter, and healthcare to prevent suffering and disease.
- Mental well-being: Ensuring animals are able to express natural behaviors, reducing stress and anxiety, and providing a comfortable and safe environment.
- Freedom from pain and distress: Minimizing or eliminating unnecessary pain, fear, and distress, and providing humane euthanasia when necessary.
- Respect for animal dignity: Recognizing animals as sentient beings with inherent value, and treating them with kindness, compassion, and respect.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) defines animal welfare as: “An animal is in a good state of welfare if (as indicated by scientific evidence) it is healthy, comfortable, well-nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and if it is not suffering from unpleasant states such as pain, fear, and distress.”
Certified Humane, an organization promoting humane farm animal treatment, emphasizes the importance of minimizing animal suffering during human interactions, stating: “In the livestock industry, humane treatment means working with animals to minimize their distress during human interactions.”
In summary, humane treatment of animals involves a multifaceted approach that prioritizes their physical and mental well-being, freedom from pain and distress, and respect for their dignity, while recognizing the differences between humans and animals.