Humane Choice is a whole of farm accreditation system for free range pork, beef, lamb, chicken and egg producers.

With the recent publicity on free range produce this important initiative could not be more timely.  The Humane Choice label will initially cover free range beef, pork, lamb, chicken and eggs and will guarantee the consumer that the animal has been treated with respect and care, from birth through to death.  There is only ONE humane choice standard so there is no ambiguity for the consumer.

The Humane Choice label will denote the animal has had the best life and death offered to any farm animal. They basically live their lives as they would have done on Old McDonald’s farm, being allowed to satisfy their behavioural needs, to forage and move untethered and uncaged, with free access to outside areas, shade when it’s hot, shelter when it’s cold, with a good diet and a humane death.

Procedures such as mulesing, nose ringing, tail docking, beak trimming or any form of mutilation will not be allowed.  Weaning of animals shall enable the natural process of animal rearing to occur, sows will not be kept confined in stalls and transportation shall be kept to a minimum.

Humane Society International will administer this label and has chosen AUS-QUAL to audit producers who wish to become Humane Choice accredited.  AUS-QUAL provides professional industry certification across Australia and New Zealand.

To stop confusion over labelling of free range produce, we want to take the guesswork out of consumer decision making where animal welfare standards are concerned.  There is only one ‘Humane Choice’ so there is no variation in standards and consumers can have full confidence in the integrity of the product.