The Human Society of the United States (HSUS) has gained a lot of notoriety over the years as they have sought to change the way farm animals are treated on the farm and at slaughterhouses. To affect the change they desire, the HSUS has often gone the legislative route--either through the actual legislature or through ballot measures. But the HSUS isn't alone in its efforts to protect farm animals.Another organization that works to protect animals, and children, is the American Humane Association (AHA), an organization that is often confused with the HSUS though the routes the two organizations take to affect change are often different.
As Patricia Calhoun reports for Denver Westword News online, AHA is the oldest humane group in the country. And as Kathi Brock, director of Strategic Partnership for AHA, states, AHA "'has a very different viewpoint"' from the HSUS.
The brain child between the AHA and Texas Tech, who contacted the organization over a decade ago to "come up with a 'reasonable approach to farm animal welfare,"' is American Humane Certified. This is the first farm animal welfare certification program in the country. The program is voluntary and fee-based. The service "provides independent, third-party audited verification of the care and handling of animals on enrolled farms," writes Calhoun.
Since being launched in 2000, producers with over 60 million farm animals have been certifited. Calhoun reports that this means the producers met the AHA standards and can use the American Humane Certified label on their products. The standards used by the AHA come from animal science experts, veterinarians, animal husbandry specialist, as well as based on the Five Freedoms outlined by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
While AHA may not be as well known nationally as HSUS, Brock and others hope their efforts will continue to yield publicity and support for a science-driven approach to animal care that "takes into consideration keeping food safe and affordable."
To read the Calhoun article on AHA, click here.
To learn more about animal welfare law and issues, click here to visit the National Agricultural Law Center's Reading Room on Animal Welfare.
To check out the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, click here.
Posted: 04/15/10
