LaBelle Patrimoine, a provider of pasture-raised, heritage breed poultry, is the newest producer to join the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC), marking the fifth supplier to join this initiative.  

The BCC is a set of science-based standards developed by animal welfare scientists and organizations to improve the lives of chickens raised for meat. By joining the BCC, LaBelle Patrimoine displays its dedication to animal welfare, sustainability and transparency. The BCC encompasses essential principles such as providing more space, better living conditions and enhanced animal welfare measures.  

LaBelle Patrimoine’s chickens are third-party certified by Earth Claims to meet Global Animal Partnership’s Step 4 rating. This ensures that chickens have access to pasture and exceed BCC requirements around space, enrichment and lighting. The current implementation of multistage controlled stunning at its processing facility will meet BCC standards by 2027. Most notably, LaBelle Patrimoine uses a higher-welfare breed with a slower growth cycle across its entire supply chain, which is crucial to ensure enhanced welfare for broiler chickens.  

Modern industrial farming systems selectively breed chickens to grow rapidly, causing poor welfare outcomes and meat quality issues, among other concerns. By prioritizing using a higher-welfare bird, chickens live a healthier, longer life and produce quality meat.  

"LaBelle Patrimoine has always been committed to producing superior poultry products, and this next step is a testament to our ongoing pledge to always adhere to the highest sustainable and ethical practices in the industry," said Mike Charles, farmer and founder of Labelle Patrimoine. "We believe raising chickens in an environment that prioritizes their welfare is not only the right thing to do, but it also results in a much higher quality product for our customers." 

Labelle Patrimoine's Better Chicken Commitment reaffirms its dedication to delivering quality poultry products while prioritizing the welfare of the animals that make it all possible. The company is committed to continuous improvement in its practices and looks forward to a future where ethical and sustainable food production is the norm. 

“Animal welfare remains a top concern for American consumers,” said Julia Johnson, U.S. head of Food Business at Compassion in World Farming. “By joining the Better Chicken Commitment, Labelle Patrimoine is responding to that consumer demand for more humane products. Through granting meaningful pasture access to higher-welfare birds, I am excited to see poultry production integrate sustainability as a core pillar for future operations.”  

Cooks Venture, Perdue Farms, Pitman Farms and Wayne-Sanderson Farms are the other producers publicly committed to offering BCC chicken to customers. Other major producers have yet to publicly commit to offering higher welfare producers for their customers.

Sources: LaBelle Patrimoine; Compassion in World Farming