The Global Animal Partnership (GAP) certification program is comprised of a series of step levels, each corresponding to a set of animal welfare standards. The rigor of the standards increases with higher step levels. Step 5+ is a highly meaningful label for consumers who want to support farms with improved living conditions and high welfare […]
What it means The claim suggests that animals used to produce the meat, poultry, dairy, or eggs were treated humanely from birth to slaughter, on farms that provide decent living conditions that meet the animals’ needs (e.g., cows are allowed to graze and not confined to a feedlot). However, the government agencies that oversee labeling […]
Highly Meaningful The label means that the farm where the coffee was grown qualifies as “bird friendly habitat” as defined by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. The standards promote environmental sustainability of coffee farms and protect biodiversity, with a special focus on providing shelter and food for migratory birds. Coffee farms are also required to […]
Highly Meaningful The American Grassfed label is highly meaningful and verified. It means that the animals were grass-fed throughout their entire lives (after weaning), with no grain ever. The animals had continuous access to pasture and were not raised in confinement. The standards also prohibit antibiotics, growth hormones, and the intentional feeding of GMOs. Is […]
The Issue Synthetic Nutrients in Organic Foods Organic food should contain organic ingredients, and nutrients in organic foods shouldn’t come from artificial additives. The organic law allows some exceptions to the rule that organic foods should contain only organic ingredients: some artificial ingredients are allowed if they are deemed to be essential. The organic rule currently […]
In January 2017, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) finalized a new rule that requires certified organic farms to follow baseline standards for the treatment of food animals. Now the new administration at the USDA has delayed making it effective and is considering withdrawing the rule entirely. Among many new protections, the rule will […]
The seal was developed by Organic Valley for use on foods sold and marketed under the Organic Valley and Organic Prairie brands, which are certified organic and also display the USDA Organic seal. The seal conveys to consumers that the organic standards prohibit genetically modified crops and ingredients derived from genetically modified organisms. (Organic standards […]
Meaningful What this seal means: The seal means that the farm meets the Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) standards, which are based on the USDA organic standards for crops and livestock. These standards promote a sustainable system of agriculture, requiring responsible soil management and prohibiting the use of synthetic fertilizers, most synthetic pesticides, antibiotics, and artificial […]
What does this label mean, and is it verified? Hormones can be administered to artificially increase the rate of weight gain in cows and sheep, to induce estrus (heat) in pigs, and to precipitate labor and induce milk production after cows, sheep, and pigs give birth. As with any drug, the use of added hormones […]
The UEP Certified guidelines allow continuous confinement in crowded cages in dimly lit buildings without natural light and fresh air. Hens only have to be given enough space to stand upright, with a minimum space requirement of 8 by 8 inches for white laying hens kept in a cage. Producers keeping their hens in cages […]