Where Food Comes From, a resource for independent, third-party verification of food production practices in North America, announces the launch of RaiseWell Certified, a comprehensive new standard for animal care, verified natural raising practices and transparent, fully traceable supply chains.

Developed to meet growing consumer and retailer demand for responsibly raised proteins, RaiseWell Certified provides clear, third-party verified claims for brands, high-end retailers and foodservice operators who want to differentiate on integrity, quality and certified production practices.

The standard requires that animals are responsibly raised at every stage of life, with rigorous animal care requirements, with no antibiotics or added growth hormones ever, and source-verified back to the source of origin, creating traceability throughout the supply chains that retailers and consumers can trust.

“RaiseWell Certified is about meeting today’s consumers where they are – looking for food that aligns with their values,” said Leann Saunders, president and COO of Where Food Comes From.

“Verification programs not only validate compliance; they also spotlight the practices that set producers apart,” said Sawyer Smith, ranch manager for Hillwood Land & Cattle. “Staying enrolled, even as markets shift, builds trust, creates repeat buyers, and strengthens an operation’s reputation for long-term success.”

RaiseWell Certified equips retailers and restaurants not only with 

RaiseWell Certified equips retailers and restaurants with defined, third-party verified animal-raising claims, source-verified livestock and poultry with traceability to the farm of origin and a transparent supply chain story suited to premium markets, but also on-pack seals aligned with USDA FSIS requirements.

This structure can give retailers confidence in claim integrity while providing consumers with clarity about how their food was raised.

RaiseWell Certified also integrates easily with WFCF’s CARE Certified standard, which is a comprehensive sustainability standard that addresses three key pillars: animal care, environmental stewardship and people and community. This integration gives producers and retailers the option to bundle claims and create a unified, audit-ready package that can include pasture-raised, outdoor access, grass-fed and other verified livestock-raising attributes.

RaiseWell Certified represents a strategic expansion of WFCF’s portfolio of third-party verification solutions, supporting continued growth in value-added protein markets and demand for natural, ethically raised products.

Retailers, foodservice operators, brands and supply chains interested in learning more about RaiseWell Certified can contact WFCF for program requirements and onboarding information.

Source: Where Food Comes From