Animal welfare is the hot topic for probably the next decade and following with the times, producers and packers alike are trying to meet standards and fend off the next big attack from HSUS, PETA and the likes.
The AMI (American Meat Institute) and UEP (United Egg Producers) have made a giant step in the right direction.
These two corporations, with the help of a third party, have developed animal welfare audits that all of their customers have adopted. Because of this third party, the welfare audit instrument is sure to be rigorous and has been developed my professional experts within their respective industries. The utilization of one single audit is more cost effective and also addresses important issues in the industry such as gas stunning vs. electrical stunning. With one audit, there is only one set of requirements therefore eliminating any confusion on what is or isn't taboo in the processing and packing industry.
Until next time,
~Buzzard~Labels: advocacy, food safety, livestock production
