Washington, DC-Animal Welfare Approved program director Andrew Gunther is pleased to announce a new partnership with the American Grassfed Association (AGA) in which Animal Welfare Approved will audit AGA members for both AGA standards and Animal Welfare Approved standards.  This new partnership begins immediately.

"Our standards require pasture and/or range access, which aligns us philosophically with the American Grassfed Association, an organization that protects and promotes grassfed producers and grassfed products," remarked  Gunther.  "We are looking forward to a long and fruitful relationship that will provide great benefit to animals, farmers, the environment and consumers."

Dr. Patricia Whisnant, President of AGA, added, "Animal Welfare Approved is the only certifying agency that shares all of our core values:  no feedlots, no routine antibiotics or hormones, focus on family farms and humane treatment of animals.  It's a natural match and we are looking forward to working with Andrew and his seasoned team of auditors, advisors and marketing professionals."

The annual audits will be provided to the farms at no cost, and, additionally, farmers bearing the seals will be provided free technical advice and marketing support. 
The AGA standards are based on four principals: total forage diet, no confinement, no antibiotics and no added hormones. Members who adhere to these standards and meet the Animal Welfare Approved's rigorous high-welfare standards will be able to use both American Grassfed Association and Animal Welfare Approved labels on their products. 

AGA's grassfed ruminant standards exceed the requirements for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's grassfed standard announced in October of 2007, which addresses the feeding practice alone.  USDA animals are allowed to be confined to feedlots, given antibiotics and growth hormones to still be labeled "grassfed" as long as they were fed a forage diet.
Products from grassfed animals include beef, bison, lamb, pork, poultry, eggs and dairy.  A variety of research shows that meat, dairy products, and eggs from animals fed grass diets, rather than grain-based diets, are higher in vitamin E, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and Omega-3 fatty acids while being lower in saturated fat and cholesterol.  Initial research shows promise that these compounds have positive benefits in reducing diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure and other life threatening diseases.
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More Information About the Partners


The Animal Welfare Approved, www.AnimalWelfareApproved.org, program and food label is the only farm animal welfare label and program that requires family ownership, prohibits confinement feeding operations, provides grants to farmers and is offered for free.  The program promotes the well-being of animals and the sustainability of humane family farms, uniting conscientious consumers with farmers who raise their animals with compassion. Animal Welfare Approved was recently lauded by the World Society for the Protection of Animals as having the highest animal welfare standards of all third-party certifiers.
 
The American Grassfed Association, www.AmericanGrassfed.org was founded in 2003 to promote the grassfed industry through government relations, research, concept marketing and public education.  AGA communicates the value of grassfed products to associated industries and consumers and serves as a source on grassfed products for consumers and new media.  The association also provides a network within its membership to share information and direct consumers wishing to buy grassfed products to the suppliers nearest them.