Breaking News: Foster Farms earns American Humane Certification, dedicates poultry facility at Fresno State
Family-owned Foster Farms today announced that its fresh chicken products have earned humane certification from American Humane Association. The American Humane CertifiedTM (AHC) program, developed in 2000, is the nation’s first independent, third-party humane certification program for farm animals. Foster Farms fresh chicken products now carry the American Humane Certified seal for easy recognition by consumers. The company announced the certification at the dedication of the new Foster Farms Poultry Education and Research Facility (PERF) at Fresno State’s Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology. The facility features a fully working, American Humane Certified poultry barn modeled after a similar type found on Foster Farms’ own humane certified ranches.
Beginning in 2012, all company growing facilities dedicated to fresh chicken production in California and the Pacific Northwest have implemented AHC program standards and are participating in independent, third-party audits. The audits are administered by the AHC program and its third-party auditor, Validus. The audits consist of more than 200 stringent criteria covering living conditions, diet and natural behaviors. The standards set by American Humane Association are in practice on all Foster Farms fresh chicken ranches 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.