Did you know that 65% of consumers prefer to eat proteins from animals raised in humane conditions? What about the fact that 54% of consumers feel that meat should only come from farms that practice sustainable agriculture? But, how do consumers know if that was the case? Well, 39% of consumers scan a meat package for certifications before they buy. Do we believe that most producers are doing the right thing? Yes. But, consumers are now three, sometimes four, generations removed from agriculture. So they don’t know know any farmers or ranchers directly, and they aren’t taking our word for it anymore.
By creating the Where Food Comes From CARE Standard we knew it gave farmers and ranchers a way to communicate their story with the consumers that are looking to buy their products. Farmers and ranchers support the same values we do, and without them none of this would be possible. They strive to be as transparent as possible with consumers in hopes to gain their trust. Remember, it takes a village and we want you to be a part of it.
If you’ve been reading our blogs, then you know we’ve taken every opportunity to help promote farmers, ranchers and growers in the food industry. We believe in helping them tell their story to consumers. Our CARE values are rooted in a firm belief that farmers and ranchers are stewards of their natural resources and part of that stewardship means the care of their animals and people. This is why the first pillar of the Where Food Comes From CARE standard is Animal Husbandry.
Those hardworking individuals spend day and night with their animals to ensure they are happy, content, and healthy throughout their lifecycle. Basically, out there living their best life. Each of our standards – BeefCARE, DairyCARE, PoultryCARE, and PorkCARE – include specific requirements regarding the care of each animal. If you’ve never been on a farm you are probably wondering what exactly that means. Some of the things we look for include access of food and water for the animals, animal spacing and even how they are transported from one location to the next. All of those aspects matter when it comes to keeping the animals healthy.
Think about it this way; in your own environment the food you eat and the safety guidelines you follow directly affect your health and the same holds true when we look into the health and wellbeing of animals. Farmers partake in animal care training to ensure they are following practices to ensure the safety of the animals in addition to their health. We do the same as humans. Nurses train to take care of us and farmers train to care for their animals. It’s a good feeling knowing there is transparency when it comes to your food. When you see the CARE label on your food, you can trust that the animal was well cared for and that claim was verified by a third-party verification provider, us, at Where Food Comes From, Inc.
So, the reason we CARE, well that’s quite simple, the health and well-being of others. You see, as our community continues grow, that’s more people spreading the word and adopting sustainable practices. This journey might have started because of the vision of our two founders, but it’s because of farmers and ranchers who strive for a sustainable future that it is the beginning of a food revolution. If you want to learn more about Where Food Comes From CARE, you can check out our site.
Statistics reported from the “Power of Meat 2019” and Midan Marketing Segmentation 2.0 Research.