Animal Welfare Approved: Solutions for Healthy and Humane Animal Agriculture

Acacia

The United States’ food-animal production is geared toward large-scale confinement systems that produce high volumes of food to sell at low cost. The unintended consequences of our current system include environmental, human health, and animal welfare costs. Animal Welfare Approved (AWA) is in the fifth year of their Good Husbandry Grants, funding farmers in an array of projects involving beef cattle, goats, sheep, chickens, and pigs. Priorities include genetic improvement of animals in pasture-based systems, outdoor access, and non-lethal predator control. AWA’s programs are especially useful to farmers seeking a low-risk transition to sustainable, outdoor farming practices. Their philosophy is that a healthy system provides animals with what they need and allows them to follow their natural behaviors.

Presenters:

John and Christine Deck, Deck Family Farm, Junction City, OR;
Andrew Gunther, AWA, Alexandria, VA;
Dan Imhoff, Watershed Media, Healdsburg, CA.

Moderator:

Andrew Gunther, AWA, Alexandria, VA.