“I think the world of Animal Welfare Approved. There is a loving and respectful way to raise cattle and provide the healthiest and happiest experience with beef. By telling the public you’re Animal Welfare Approved you’re telling the customer you have standards. AWA has someone that really checks that you’re doing what you say you’re doing. I went the extra step of becoming Animal Welfare Approved because I want the customer to know that they are getting the best that they can get. There is a better way to eat beef!”

-Janelle Moses, Holy Cow Grassfed Beef in Wapato, WA

“Animal welfare is the most important thing we do; it’s the biggest priority on our farm. It’s really good to have something tangible to show my customers that I’m doing what I say. They can see that I get audited, my processor gets audited, my hogs are sourced from an audited farm. Being able to give them the [Animal Welfare Approved] brochure and send them to the website is great. I’ve had customers return and say they were really impressed.”

–Anna Mann, Chestnut Ridge Farm in Mt. Airy, NC

“Being AWA-certified is a good opportunity to learn more and be better at what I do. The auditors really know what they’re talking about.”

- Terrill Esposito, Legacy Alpaca Farm in Jerome, ID

“Every time I have contact with you all I feel like I’m working with an incredibly professional and proficient team. I’m glad to be a part of it.”

- Jonas Stoltzfus, Jujo Acres Farm in Loysville, PA

“Just wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed our workshop experience [Designing and Running an Animal Welfare Approved Pastured Egg Operation, Young Farmer Conference at Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills, NY – 2010]. Thanks for inviting us to join you, it was great fun and I think we all did a good job of inspiring those young folks to raise chickens and join AWA.”

- Georgia Ranney, Kinderhook Farm in Valatie, NY

“AWA is THE differentiation I count on to make a difference in what chefs select. Thank you!”

- Dan Gibson, Grazin’ Angus Acres in Ghent, NY

“I feel like it’s Christmas! Thank you so much for the box of goodies. I had already been looking at the egg cartons so I was glad to get to see one of those “in person.” Thanks again and we are excited to be a part of AWA.”

- Dr. J. Matthew, The 2811 in Abbeville, SC

“There was local demand here for an animal welfare certification. I reviewed them all and Animal Welfare Approved seemed to be the most cohesive. Others you pay a fee, get a stamp of approval, but there’s no oversight. I can tell folks that AWA came out, give them the brochures, they can check the standards. If they aren’t coming out, it’s not worth the paper it’s written on.”

- John Klimes, Snake River Poultry in Jacksonville, TX

“It’s important to the people I sell to. I want people to know you can raise animals and eat them and they don’t have to be miserable. It’s important to eat organic and healthy, but it’s more important to be humane.

- Terri Luce, Poppa Skinny’s Farm in Jacksonville, TX

“I really like the standards–they’re achievable and good practices. I’m really happy now to be certified.  It’s a wonderful service to provide free to farmers.  AWA has a presence in the marketplace. People know it and look for it. Sometimes people will call me with questions and when I tell them that we’re Animal Welfare Approved, they’re happy to know we’re part of the program. You  run a very customer-friendly and professional organization.”

- Steffen Schneider, Hawthorne Valley Farm in Ghent, NY

“When Lance, our auditor, was happy with what he saw, it was very reassuring. We feel like he can help us identify problems and teach us something.”

- Cricket Adams. Gypsy Ranch in Altoona, AL

“We got certified because we wanted to add more credibility to what we’re doing. It’s helping us build our herd. It’s been a blessing to us.”

- Phil Bulfinch, Edge of Heaven in Fallbrook, CA

“AWA is the industry gold standard. Meat customers like the guarantee that we’re treating our animals humanely. Since becoming Animal Welfare Approved, the traffic on our website has doubled. We really appreciate being a member of AGA and AWA. We found it to be good.”

-William Taylor, Bar W.T. Ranch  in Conroe, TX

“[AWA] gives customers an idea of what we’re doing on the farm without them having to come out. Since we got certified, we’ve had a 20% increase in sales. People love it!”

-Timothy Haws, Autumn’s Harvest Farm in Romulus, NY

“I feel genuinely proud of…being a part of AWA. It’s no longer [solely] to validate my concerns for my flock, but sharing a vision with an organization that can change the situation into something good. [AWA] can make a difference in both the farmer’s life and the animal’s life – and the consumer’s life – in nothing but a positive way. I want to thank you sincerely for all that you do.”

-Nicholas Rupier, Fowler Creek Farm in Sonoma, CA

“By being an AWA approved farm, we can show potential customers all over the world the same thing by proudly presenting our AWA logo. There’s a powerful brand being built upon every day by AWA farms. We are proud to serve ourselves, our customers, our animals, and our creator by being a part of such a fantastic organization.”

-Chad Ray, Ray Family Farms in Louisburg, NC

“Not every consumer has the time, resources or desire to be an expert. In this case they depend on third party certifiers. After a consumer learns what AWA is all about, they can then buy any AWA labeled product and know that product is meeting the highest humane standards of any certifier. It provides consumers with the assurance that the product in fact meets the producer’s claims, which is very important when the consumer cannot visit the farm or communicate directly with the producer. The fact that AWA does not charge the farmer a certification fee also offers assurance that the process is truly objective and that integrity of the program is maintained.

Recently I had a customer come to me and ask me, “So I hear you have happy chickens, but a lot of people say that. How do I really know if yours are really happy?” My answer was that she was welcome to visit the farm, but honestly she may not be able to tell. So why not depend upon an independent expert, like Animal Welfare Approved? I suggested checking AWA out, and after seeing that they are the most stringent humane certifier in the industry, see what they had to say about me. Just the fact that I am AWA certified lets the consumer know that I meet or exceed the highest humane standards of any certifier in the US.

Labels with integrity and respect are an important producer marketing tool as well. It adds value to your product, making it easier to sell and brings the producer a premium pay price. AWA offers production expertise, marketing assistance, grants and a host of other resources that really make a difference in our success, and they don’t charge me a dime. This is what we call on the farm, ‘a no brainer’.”

-Tim Koegel, Windy Ridge Natural Farms in Alfred, NY

“Hanging the Animal Welfare Approved pennant on our tent generates significant interest from folks that had previously passed by – giving us a chance to discuss with them why our meats are different, better and special – and why AWA is the right label to look for. Our sales to first time customers are up significantly, AWA has made the difference!”

-Dan Gibson, Grazin’ Angus Acres in Ghent, NY

“[It's] a great way to show people how well we care for our animals…My mother and grandparents have always taught me that we must care for our cows, sheep, and horses as we would wanted to be cared for.”

-Mike Brown, Meadowbrook Farm in China, ME

“…I have seen so many inhumane ways of raising animals and no one knows how their food is raised. With the Animal Welfare Approved label people do know. They know how the product was produced and that kind of sets you apart. I’m proud of what I raise and I want people to recognize that I’ve gone that extra step in raising my animals.”

-Chris Wilson, Clover Creek Farm in Jonesborough, TN

“The Animal Welfare Approved program reflects the concern I have for my animals,” she remarked, “and having its label on my cheese tells consumers that not only are they getting an ethical product, they are getting a superior product.”

-Rose Belforti, Finger Lakes Dexter Creamery in King Ferry, NY

“I’m very proud of having the Animal Welfare Approved seal and consumers look for that.” He went on to say, “It’s so important for people to truly know what they’re getting…I love that someone independent is saying ‘Yes, he meets the high standard.’”

-Doug Brown, Fowl Attitute Farm in Cedar Grove, NC

“The standards are comprehensive and deal with every aspect of the goats’ lives. We get asked about the welfare of our animals a lot and the Animal Approved Welfare seal is a nice fit of us. It lets our customers know that our goats are out running around in the grass, being goats, and that we’re not a confinement operation.”

-Deneane Ashcraft, North Valley Farms Chevre in Cottonwood, CA

“We appreciate the standards because we want to treat our animals correctly and this is a way to assure our customers we do just that. The seal is also meaningful to them because it’s a great endorsement of our way of doing business.”

-Lauren Nitschke, Circle N Ranch in Jefferson County, OK