BRF Brasil’s Sadia brand gets Certified Humane label

US-based non-profit organisation Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC) has accepted Brazilian food company BRF into the Certified Humane programme for 33 of their chicken farms in Goiás, Brazil.

BRF produces chicken products sold under the Sadia brand.

Certified Humane South America director Luiz Mazzon said: “BRF Sadia is improving the lives of more than 40 million birds under the Certified Humane Brasil programme.

"We expect this programme to continue to grow as more and more consumers demand humanely raised food."

Headquartered in Virginia, HFAC was established to improve the lives of millions of farm animals in food production.

The Certified Humane label can be found on meat, poultry, egg and dairy products in five countries, which include the US, Canada, Brazil, Chile and Peru.

HFAC executive director Adele Douglass said: “Having one of the largest food companies in the world commit to raising their animals Certified Humane shows that any producer of any size can commit to raising farm animals humanely.

“BRF will set a high bar for other food producers and farmers to follow."

To obtain this label, the producer must follow and use HFAC's Animal Care Standards for the humane treatment of farm animals raised in food production and be inspected regularly to be in compliance with the Certified Humane programme.

The producer must provide a nutritious, antibiotic-free diet to the animals, which must be raised with shelter, resting areas and enough space to support natural behaviors.

HFAC launched the Certified Humane programme in 2003, and more than 140 companies, representing thousands of farms and more than 514 million farm animals, have since adopted HFAC's precise Animal Care Standards.