As you may recall, G.A.P.’s Better Chicken Project established a research-based protocol for evaluating broiler chicken breeds based on behavior, meat quality, production, and consistently superior welfare outcomes. And now you can purchase this chicken at your local Whole Foods Market store.

“G.A.P.’s certification and labeling requirements are built into every product bearing the new Better Chicken label,” said Malissa Lucas, Director of Certification Services at EarthClaims, LLC, the North American certifying agent for G.A.P. “I have visited these birds on farm, and it is impressive to observe their activity and energy levels, particularly the way they fully interact with their living environment.”

G.A.P. worked with multiple stakeholders, including producers, farmers, and advocates to create the label and standards. La Belle Patrimoine, Pitman Farms, and Cooks Venture Poultry Inc., are all G.A.P. Certified partners and the first to grow these remarkable birds.

Mike Charles, of LaBelle Patrimoine, a longtime G.A.P. partner, was one of the first farms to make this commitment: “We are incredibly proud to be a part of this program, which proves that the right combination of breed and animal welfare are what truly make a better chicken. It has always been my mission to raise healthy, active broiler chickens of the highest quality and taste.”

Leading welfare advocates were also a key part of this undertaking. “Most chickens in the U.S. are selectively bred for rapid growth with genetics that predispose them to pain and suffering,” says Nancy Roulston, Senior Director of Corporate Policy and Animal Science at the ASPCA. “G.A.P.’s new Better Chicken Project Certified label builds on its groundbreaking work assessing chicken breeds for objective animal welfare criteria to help consumers identify more humane options in the marketplace. The ASPCA is thrilled to recognize the industry-leading farmers and food brands that adopt this label through our Shop With Your Heart program.”

“The welfare of broiler chickens is one of the most important issues in farm animal protection, globally says Dr. Sara Shields, Director of Farm Animal Welfare Science at Humane Society International.  “G.A.P.’s new, science-based breed eligibility requirements have industry-wide transformative potential. I am grateful to the farmers embracing these meaningful changes and to consumers who are making conscientious purchasing decisions.”

So, the next time you’re at Whole Foods Market, look for G.A.P.’s Better Chicken Project label and #MakeitGAP! To learn more about the labels and what they mean, visit our Better Chicken page. To learn more about the entire multi-year research process for coming up with eligible breeds, visit our Better Chicken Project page.

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A tiered approach

Like our standards for meat, eggs, and dairy, G.A.P. has taken a tiered approach, which provides flexibility for any type of farmed aquaculture system. The Step levels are used to indicate how the salmon are managed, what their environment looks like and, ultimately, how they are doing in that environment. G.A.P. Certification requires an animal welfare outcomes approach, in which no matter what type of system is used, the farm must adhere to best practices for handling, monitoring, health, welfare, and more that are set in our Standard. For producers looking to focus even more of their management on the welfare of fish, G.A.P.’s multi-step program provides a way to substantiate this welfare claim, and further differentiate their operations.

For land animal (a.k.a., terrestrial) species, G.A.P. has utilized our 5-Step® Animal Welfare Rating program for the various species-specific standards.  In order to create a meaningful animal welfare program for salmon that fits within this multi-tiered structure of the G.A.P. Program, and one that can be applied practically to the salmon aquaculture industry, three Step Levels were created – Base Certification (Step 1); Enhanced Habitat (Step 3); and Fish-Centered (Step 5+). Each Step builds on the previous Step, so as a farm moves up the Steps, more and more consideration to animal welfare within the system are required.

The 3 Steps

Base Certification

Our Base certification lets you know that the salmon farm was audited to over 175 species-specific standards to be certified, including providing ample space for salmon to swim and weekly welfare monitoring. G.A.P. is also the first and only fish welfare certification currently to require specific environmental enrichments at all Step Levels and life stages. G.A.P. has also created an animal welfare standard for slaughter facilities utilized in the G.A.P. Program.

Enhanced Habitat

One of the highlights of our middle step – Step 3 “Enhanced Habitat” – is more environmental enrichments and increased welfare-friendly management and handling practices. As we mentioned above, while enrichments are required at all Step Levels, Step 3 farms must provide a greater variety of enrichments at various life stages. 

Fish-Centered

On top of a long list of management and welfare-related requirements, our highest tier – Step 5+ “Fish-Centered” – requires that salmon monitoring and health checks are all done without having to remove fish from water, and thus encourages the use of technological innovations to monitor and improve salmon welfare. As mentioned above, many of the standards build upon one another, meaning that in order to achieve a higher Step Level, operations also need to meet the requirements of Steps 1 and 3. Regardless, you can be sure that G.A.P. Certified farmed Atlantic salmon is the best choice at any step level. 

Transparency Matters

We think our tiered standard is one of the unique features that sets us apart. It provides transparency for consumers and it embodies our mission of continuous improvement. We look forward to working with farmed salmon operations over the coming years to impact the lives of millions of fish around the globe. #MakeitGAP

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After developing standards and certifying operations for nine land animal species including chickens, turkeys, beef cattle, pigs, lambs, laying hens, bison, and goats, aquaculture was a natural next step for us. With the exponential increase in salmon farming in recent years, we saw an opportunity to make an impact. As with all of our standards, we have created a fish welfare program that puts the animal first and is meaningful to all sizes and types of operations across the supply chain. 

The G.A.P. farmed Atlantic salmon standard was also developed with a multi-stakeholder approach, working with farmers, scientists, retailers, and NGOs to develop a comprehensive, tiered standard with sophisticated scoring systems for monitoring and management. Our new fish standard is focused on welfare throughout the fish’s lifecycle from hatch to harvest. Even the slaughter facilities must pass a G.A.P. welfare audit to be certified. You can find out more about G.A.P.’s tiered certification by visiting our new standards page here. All G.A.P. farmed Atlantic salmon standards include: 

• enrichments at all life stages (like sea kelp and bubbling systems);
• stocking density requirements;
• “cleaner fish” care and management;
• daily water quality monitoring;
• non-lethal predator control;
• skin and body conditioning monitoring; and
• slaughter requirements.

“G.A.P’s new salmon standard is a game changer in terms of animal welfare in the aquaculture industry. It will provide much-needed guidance, support and accountability to a sector that has faced major animal welfare concerns. We are thrilled to see a standard that is so comprehensive in its animal welfare indicators and hope that this can serve as a catalyst for other standard-making bodies,” affirms Catalina Lopez-Salazar, Director of the Aquatic Animal Alliance at the Aquatic Life Institute.

“Fish are sentient animals capable of suffering and feeling pain, so it’s important that we protect their welfare. The new G.A.P standards for Atlantic salmon are now the highest and most comprehensive available,” said Ben Williamson, US Director of Compassion in World Farming. “While a ban on the use of cleaner fish in salmon farms remains a long-term goal of Compassion in World Farming, G.A.P.’s  requirements for humane slaughter, environmental enrichment, and the prohibition of detrimental sea lice treatments are all welcome additions to minimum welfare considerations for farmed salmon. This is also the first time we’ve seen bans on lethal and injurious predator control methods for any species at this scale.”

If you are working at a farmed salmon operation and are interested in being G.A.P. Certified, please contact us today at info@globalanimalpartnership.org. If you’d like to learn more about our new tiered standards, you can view them here. Thanks for your support in helping us #MakeitGAP!

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G.A.P. doesn’t promise to have all of the answers to climate change and our environment. We can only promise to deliver on our mission of impacting the lives of millions of farm animals raised for food. We believe that animal welfare should always be an important piece in the overall sustainability puzzle; but we are also realistic that real, systemic change must happen with collaboration. That’s why, in the coming years, we will look to form new strategic partnerships with like-minded organizations to propose and implement meaningful solutions to agricultural evolution and animal production.

The food industry is at a crossroads and consumer demands are driving change. Environmental concerns, especially with Millennial and Gen Z consumers, are forcing companies and organizations to step up. Companies and organizations not only have to be authentic about their purpose and brand promise; they also have to prove it. All of this is good news for the future of our food chain and our planet. We, as individuals, must step up too.

What you can do to help

Change takes time and it takes momentum. You might think it’s difficult for you, as an individual, to truly help a global issue, but small actions add up. Here are a few suggestions of things you can do today (and every day) to help make a difference:

1. Do your research. Before you purchase a product, do the research. Does the company truly support sustainability? How was the product sourced? Did the company seek out third-party verification or certification of processes and/or ingredients? How is the product packaged? What does the ingredient label look like? It may have a “plant-based” claim but are the ingredients loaded with words you can’t understand? Unfortunately, a lot of plant-based items are heavily processed.
2. Vote & advocate. Are you paying attention to your local elections? Are the people you’re voting for advocating for issues that are important to you like our environment or agriculture? Are there any propositions around preservation or animal welfare that you can support with your vote? All of these actions matter. Emailing your Congresspeople and advocating for upcoming farm reform and animal welfare reform make a difference – and it only takes a few minutes of your time.
3. Use your dollars. Make a donation to a cause you believe in. Purchase products that are making a difference or supporting your values. Look for products that are third-party certified like G.A.P. Animal Welfare Certified products. Purchasing these products means you are voting with your dollars for better animal welfare practices. The more demand you generate, the more farmers will convert their farms to G.A.P. animal welfare standards, and the more impact we can have on farm animals. It also signals to retailers that you care about these issues – which results in more sustainable products for you to choose from when you shop.

Animal welfare is intrinsically intertwined with sustainability. G.A.P. will continue to work hard to make sure farm animals are a part of the conversation and also a part of the solution. Thank you for your ongoing support of our program. Happy Earth Day. If you’d like to make a donation to support our organization, please click here.

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While many small-scale producers are actively adopting and implementing humane practices, logistical issues and costs can serve as a barrier to entering a certification program. To help farmers achieve the certifications necessary, the project will leverage G.A.P.’s existing model and program specifically designed for the small-scale producer.

“We are proud to present the 2020 AAF Award to G.A.P. and believe this project is a natural fit for AGCO and the AAF, as we are committed to ensuring animal well-being while producers meet the growing demand for protein around the world,” said Metti Richenhagen, Director, AGCO Agriculture Foundation. “G.A.P.’s expertise in animal welfare and food systems, strengthened by our alignment with AGCO’s sustainability commitments, will help farmers in North America enhance their animal welfare practices while improving their profitability.”

The project will create a self-sustaining peer network for producers at G.A.P. project sites and a cost-effective audit model for small-scale production. The team will also initiate supplier-based support for animal welfare and production skills and create a supply chain that supports local communities.

“With G.A.P.’s extensive partner base and network, we are now poised to help small-scale producers overcome the barriers around animal welfare,” said Anne Malleau, Executive Director of G.A.P. “The pandemic has highlighted the interest and demand for local or regional food systems that small-scale producers could engage in. Through this partnership, we want to expand our commitment to continuously improve and drive meaningful change in animal welfare for farm animals.”

Interested in learning more? G.A.P. is looking for small-scale chicken producers to help us kick start this project and begin to build a network. Please email us at info@globalanimalpartnership.org to get started.

About AGCO Agriculture Foundation (AAF)
The AGCO Agriculture Foundation (AAF), initiated by AGCO Corporation (NYSE: AGCO) in 2018, is a private foundation with the vision to prevent and relieve hunger. The foundation initiates impactful programs that support food security, foster sustainable agricultural development and build needed agricultural infrastructure in marginalized farming communities. AAF is domiciled in Vaduz, Liechtenstein and operations are managed from Duluth, Georgia, USA. For more information, please visit https://www.agcofoundation.org/

About AGCO
AGCO (NYSE:AGCO) is a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision ag technology. AGCO delivers customer value through its differentiated brand portfolio including core brands like Challenger®, Fendt®, GSI®, Massey Ferguson® and Valtra®. Powered by Fuse® smart farming solutions, AGCO’s full line of equipment and services helps farmers sustainably feed our world. Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, USA, AGCO had net sales of $9.1 billion in 2020. For more information, visit www.AGCOcorp.com. For company news, information and events, please follow us on Twitter: @AGCOCorp. For financial news on Twitter, please follow the hashtag #AGCOIR.

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Like jungle fowl, today’s laying hens also spend the majority of their day feeding, foraging and otherwise active; however, broiler chickens are more sedentary. Study after study has found modern, fast-growing broiler chickens spending 75% of their day inactive, even in free-range conditions. This is because laying hens and broiler chickens have been selected for different traits over the last 75 years, which has led to differences in the time they spend active. So, it is unfair to compare the activity levels of broiler chickens to red jungle fowl or laying hens as they have been bred for different purposes. It would be like comparing the activity levels of a wolf to a Border collie or a Dachshund. Border collies and Dachshunds have been selectively bred for different jobs and purposes, which has resulted in different temperaments and activity levels versus a wolf.

So how active should a broiler chicken be?

Okay, so we know that broiler chickens spend the majority of their time inactive, but what does that active time look like? There is evidence that physical activity, such as walking and running, during early development improves muscle and bone development. We also know that when chickens are given enrichments, such as raised platforms or hay bales, they will actively use them on a daily basis. In any case, it is important to provide chickens with the opportunity to choose to be active whenever they want.

That’s where G.A.P.’s 5-Step® Animal Welfare Certification Standards come in. G.A.P. standards specify requirements for space (also known as stocking density), air quality (a signal of litter issues), enrichments (such as hay bales and perches), natural light (such as windows), appropriate amounts of light and darkness throughout the day (chickens are diurnal), and many others. Farms have to meet more than 100 standards just to achieve G.A.P.’s base Animal Welfare Certification.

When birds are given the opportunity to be active when they want, we still see slight variability in activity levels between broiler chicken strains. And this is the part we want to focus on. Those slight differences in activity levels between strains can be the difference between better or worse welfare outcomes.

Inactivity in different broiler strains

As part of the Better Chicken Study conducted at the University of Guelph, scientists compared the inactivity levels of sixteen strains of broiler chickens using wearable activity devices – kind of like chicken Fitbits. The sixteen strains were grouped into one of four different categories depending on their growth rate: conventional strains (this category has the fastest growth rate), fastest slow growing strains, moderate slow growing strains, and slowest slow growing strains.

The scientists found differences in inactivity levels between growth rates, and, on a related measure, they also found differences in enrichment use and foot and leg health.

Inactivity. At four weeks of age, the conventional strains spent more time inactive than the moderately slow growing and slowest slow growing strains, amounting to two more hours of inactivity. At five weeks of age, the conventional strains continued to spend more time inactive than the slowest slow growing strains, which amounted to one hour of activity.

Enrichment use. The slowest slow growing strains used enrichments more than any other growth rate category, spending an extra hour or two per day on the enrichments compared to the other strains.

Foot and leg health. The conventional strains also had the most foot and leg lesions, which were directly attributable to their inactivity while sitting on the litter.

So what does this mean?

In the Better Chicken Project study, the researchers found that even though all strains were raised in the same environments and given equal opportunities to be active, the faster growing strains were still less active than the others. When considering all of the factors together, the researchers concluded that broiler strains with the faster growth rates were less active, used enrichments less, and were more likely to suffer foot and leg lesions.

In our next blog, we’ll be looking into lameness and mobility factors also researched through the study, and whether the higher inactivity levels in the fastest growing strains were due to overall leg health issues. 

Thanks for your interest in our quest to define a better broiler!

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Before we answer the question “Why should you care about broiler chickens?”, let’s take a step back and give you a brief history of the rise of broiler chicken production in the US and why chicken breeds are so important.

What is a broiler chicken?

A broiler chicken is a chicken raised for its meat, as opposed to a laying hen, which is raised for its eggs. Both broiler chickens and laying hens have the same ancestors, the red jungle fowl. For millennia, chickens were used primarily for cock fighting and cultural purposes. But by the early 1900s, dual-purpose chickens (eggs and meat) were found in many backyards, with some entrepreneurs selling poultry products from their family farms.

During World War II, interest in ‘meat chicken’ increased due to a shortage of red meat. To maintain the increased chicken consumption, the A&P grocery store in the United States held a competition in the late 1940s called the “Chicken of Tomorrow” to revolutionize the poultry industry. Farmers and breeders competed on who could produce the fastest growing, most efficient chicken. Back then, the White Plymouth Rock chicken narrowly beat out a Red Cornish Cross, but a cross between the two breeds became the chicken of today. Currently, upwards of 90% of the 68 billion chickens produced annually are a strain of Cornish Cross.

In 2020, chicken is now the most common meat consumed because it is high in protein, easy to prepare, and less expensive than other meat products. Chicken meat also is more efficient (in terms of feed and water usage to produce meat) and has a lower environmental footprint (in terms of greenhouse gases) than other common meat products.

What is a breeding company?

Predominantly, the global chicken industry is supplied with chickens from two primary breeding companies, Aviagen and Cobb-Vantress. Both companies have long histories in developing and improving strains through selective breeding of their purebred flocks to meet the needs of consumers. For the past century, their scientists have selected birds for traits such as breast yield, leg strength and meat quality.  There are also numerous smaller breeding companies that maintain heritage and rare breeds for backyard flocks.

What has happened to broiler welfare over the past 75 years?

Since the rise of chicken production in the 1940’s and 50’s, there have been significant improvements in veterinary care, nutrition, management, and housing that have halved the mortality rate of broiler chickens raised for food. However, the rapid changes in body weights over the last 50 years have caused major health problems.

While the chickens’ breast muscles are getting larger, their bones and organs are not, leading to a mismatch between the birds’ body weight, leg strength and cardiovascular system. Broilers may develop problems walking, may be unable to perform motivated behaviour, or may die suddenly.

Over the last 25 years, the breeding companies have had success in reducing several major health issues and welfare problems through genetic selection. For example, the number of broilers with bowlegs or knocked knees, referred to as long bone deformities, is now 75% lower than it was two decades ago.

However, more changes are needed. Approximately 25% of broiler chickens have some difficulty walking and 5% of chickens die before they make it to market, primarily due to metabolic disorders or heart and lung conditions. Many of the welfare issues that broiler chickens experience stem from their heavy body weights and/or rapid growth rates.

Broiler chickens: by the numbers

So what can we do to improve welfare?

Welfare can be improved by changing the environment or changing the animal. Since many welfare issues relate to fast growth, farm practices that slow down growth can reduce lameness and mortality and increase activity levels. G.A.P.’s Animal Welfare Certified program has influenced the industry through significant improvements in the animal’s environment. Management practices such as changing the diet (by lowering the amount of protein, for example), lowering the stocking density (the number of chickens housed in a given area), or providing more hours of darkness for the birds to rest help reduce growth rates and improve welfare.

However, while changing farm practices can (and does) improve the welfare of broiler chickens, some issues will persist if the same breeds are used. Most of the changes in broiler growth rates over the past 50 years are due to selective breeding for heavier body weights. Therefore, the biggest improvements to broiler welfare will require changes in genetics, by selecting birds with characteristics that are associated with better welfare. That’s why G.A.P. decided to lead the charge back in 2016 and establish the Better Chicken Project, a collaboration of scientists, breeding companies, chicken producers, buyers, and animal welfare advocates working together with a common purpose: to establish a research-based framework for solving the broiler chicken breed issue.

How can we select a “better broiler”?

Much like how there are different breeds of dogs (e.g., Labrador Retriever and Standard Poodle), and different strains or lines of those breeds (e.g., American Lab and English Lab) that may differ in size, color and temperament, there are different breeds and strains of broiler chickens. The majority of broiler chickens descend from a cross of the same two breeds, Cornish and White Rock chickens, but there are numerous strains that differ from each other in traits such as feather color, growth rate, and temperament.

Breeding companies have used crossbreeding of the various strains to grow larger birds that eat less to meet the changing and growing consumer demand for chicken meat. They have also crossbred strains to exclude traits such as bow leggedness to improve the welfare of conventional broiler chickens. However, as mentioned earlier, there are still major welfare issues in broiler production which impact billions of chickens produced annually.

Scientists have studied the behavior and welfare of broiler strains with different growth rates to understand if using strains with slower growth rates will improve welfare.  For the most part, these studies have found better welfare outcomes for the slower growing strains, but they have focused on only a small number of strains, strains with very different growth rates, or strains reared with outdoor (free-range) access.

As the global poultry industries consider the implications of using slower growing strains of chickens, there was a need for a comprehensive, multidisciplinary examination of broiler chickens with a wide range of strains differing in growth rates. And that is why G.A.P. helped support the comprehensive research study fielded by the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, to study the welfare, behavior, production, anatomy and physiology of 16 strains of broiler chickens to find a better broiler. If you’d like to view the summary research report, you can find it here.

Ready to learn more? Stay tuned for our next installment: What is a “slow growing” chicken?

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What is “aquaculture”?

Aquaculture, or the practice of farming aquatic species, may seem like an ultra-modern farming method, but it’s actually been around for thousands of years. Ancient civilizations around the world cultivated everything from seaweed to eels to ensure a reliable (and delicious) source of protein. G.A.P. is creating aquaculture standards based in science and the most current research available to deliver a meaningful label claim that our partners and consumers can trust. We will be working closely with members of our Scientific Advisory Committee, industry experts, and industry contacts, as well as leveraging our own expertise in this exciting new venture.

Why does animal welfare matter in aquaculture?

A few key reasons:

1. There are few (if any) laws that govern basic welfare for farmed fish.
2. Better fish welfare leads to healthier fish and a higher quality product for consumers to buy and enjoy. For example, stressed-out salmon are more likely to become ill, fall prey to parasites, and require more intensive medical care. With better living conditions, farmed fish can thrive.
3. Fish are sentient animals, meaning that they can feel pain and experience suffering. As such, they deserve to be healthy, productive, express their natural behaviors and be raised in a way that provides for their emotional well-being. As you probably remember, G.A.P.’s animal welfare standards are developed with the entire animal in mind. Read our blog about how we specifically define animal welfare here.

G.A.P. knows that better fish welfare means better tasting fish, and a healthier source of protein for anyone trying to incorporate more fish in their diet.

If you’d like to know more, or if your company is interested in working with us on this standard, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Shannon (sdavis@globalanimalpartnership.org) or your Farm Team contact. Stay tuned for more updates on when you can look for the G.A.P. label on salmon in a store or restaurant near you.

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Comprised of nine renowned scientific leaders in farm animal welfare, this diverse group will provide G.A.P. with the latest technical and scientific findings on animal welfare matters, as well as feedback on standards and clarifications. Each scientist was hand-selected for their species-specific expert knowledge, skillset and geographical representation.

Our in-house Farm Animal Welfare team is excited that the committee will help provide the most up-to-date research and technologies that advance animal welfare and continue to set the best animal welfare standards in the world.

Our Scientific Advisory Committee includes:

The G.A.P. team recently met with the SAC in Austin, Texas for a two-day conference and roundtable discussion. Receiving such valuable input from scientists at the top of their fields will inform our current G.A.P. animal welfare standards, as well as ones we are just beginning to develop for dairy cows and farmed fish.

Stay tuned for more information and biographies for each of G.A.P.’s Scientific Advisory Committee members or visit our SAC page.

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