Comments on: Farmers’ Markets on the Rise http://www.animalwelfareapproved.org/2009/08/21/farmers-markets-on-the-rise/ Always ask, "Is Your Food Animal Welfare Approved?" Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:50:58 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Animal Welfare Approved http://www.animalwelfareapproved.org/2009/08/21/farmers-markets-on-the-rise/comment-page-1/#comment-825 Animal Welfare Approved Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:36:56 +0000 http://www.animalwelfareapproved.org/blog/?p=1779#comment-825 TJ, Thank you for your kind words. You make an excellent point, and one that is often overlooked. To find out where an animal was processed just look at the label - it legally has to contain the establishment number of the processing plant. You can search the FSIS (Food Safety and Inspection Service) Meat, Poultry and Egg Product Inspection Directory by establishment number for plant location, contact information and type of establishment. There is a public record of reported humane handling violations but you will have to submit a "Freedom of Information Act Request" to FSIS and pay the associated fees for the retrieval of that information. It is worth noting, however, that an absence of reported violations does not necessarily guarantee humane practices. Our program covers the lives of animals from birth through slaughter. We visit each and every plant used by farmers in the Animal Welfare Approved program at least annually. We have a full time staff member whose job it is to audit and work with plants. Keep checking in as we are constantly updating our vendor database to include more farmers markets, retailers and farms offering meat, dairy and eggs from high-welfare family farmers. There are write-ups about slaughter plants in both our Spring 2009 and Summer 2009 newsletters which you might want to read to learn more about this. http://www.animalwelfareapproved.org/about/newsletters/. Thanks for your comment, The Animal Welfare Approved Team TJ,

Thank you for your kind words.

You make an excellent point, and one that is often overlooked. To find out where an animal was processed just look at the label – it legally has to contain the establishment number of the processing plant. You can search the FSIS (Food Safety and Inspection Service) Meat, Poultry and Egg Product Inspection Directory by establishment number for plant location, contact information and type of establishment. There is a public record of reported humane handling violations but you will have to submit a “Freedom of Information Act Request” to FSIS and pay the associated fees for the retrieval of that information. It is worth noting, however, that an absence of reported violations does not necessarily guarantee humane practices.

Our program covers the lives of animals from birth through slaughter. We visit each and every plant used by farmers in the Animal Welfare Approved program at least annually. We have a full time staff member whose job it is to audit and work with plants. Keep checking in as we are constantly updating our vendor database to include more farmers markets, retailers and farms offering meat, dairy and eggs from high-welfare family farmers.

There are write-ups about slaughter plants in both our Spring 2009 and Summer 2009 newsletters which you might want to read to learn more about this. http://www.animalwelfareapproved.org/about/newsletters/.

Thanks for your comment,

The Animal Welfare Approved Team

]]> By: tj http://www.animalwelfareapproved.org/2009/08/21/farmers-markets-on-the-rise/comment-page-1/#comment-778 tj Thu, 27 Aug 2009 03:43:44 +0000 http://www.animalwelfareapproved.org/blog/?p=1779#comment-778 ...Hello, I happened upon your blog via your website where I was learning more about your organization. My concern of course is that animals are treated humanely on the farm but you read stories of the "perfect farm" raising grass fed, happy, free ranging animals only to have the cows, pigs, chickens, etc., going off to a slaughterhouse where they are, as you know, many times tortured before death. The reason I am contacting you is I would like to know how to find out where the meat I buy is processed and how to know if the slaughterhouse is regulated and considered a "humane slaughterhouse", if there is such a thing. ...Thank you. And thank you for providing a wealth of information to consumers - it is priceless! ...Blessings... …Hello, I happened upon your blog via your website where I was learning more about your organization. My concern of course is that animals are treated humanely on the farm but you read stories of the “perfect farm” raising grass fed, happy, free ranging animals only to have the cows, pigs, chickens, etc., going off to a slaughterhouse where they are, as you know, many times tortured before death. The reason I am contacting you is I would like to know how to find out where the meat I buy is processed and how to know if the slaughterhouse is regulated and considered a “humane slaughterhouse”, if there is such a thing.

…Thank you. And thank you for providing a wealth of information to consumers – it is priceless!

…Blessings…

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