Comments AlexC has made

Standards Shamdards

The humane food movement requires third-party verification. Standards are not enough. The humane standards for most animals have been developed by one organization, Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC). This Virginia-based non-profit contracts animal behaviorists to evaluate individual farms' adherence to established guidelines for what constitutes humane practices. Having had the chance to meet some of the HFCA people and buying meat products only from HFAC-approved sources, I have seen how the humane standards are now where the organic standards were fifteen years ago. Humane agriculture lacks clear standards and informed consumers must not assume that it is humane unless someone without a conflict of interest verifies their claim.

While I am heartened by this indication from WF along with the local producer initiative, they must work within the establish Certified Humane program or work to develop an alternate third-party verification system, because without this any branded humane care endorsement program will flounder due to the confusion it creates, look at the Free Farmed program - it is gone. Personally, I strongly endorse the HFAC "Certified Humane" program and hope a diverse good of producers will get on the bandwagon to streamline the mainstream acceptance of this standard.

AlexC, Consumer, Humane & Sustainability Farming Advocate