United States Food Leaders recognized at Good Farm Animal Welfare Awards

This afternoon, at a ceremony in Paris, we celebrated companies committed to improving the lives of farmed animals around the world at our Good Farm Animal Welfare Awards.

49 winners from over 15 countries were recognized for their leadership in improving farmed animal welfare and promoting sustainable, nature-friendly food. Over 500 million animals each year will positively benefit from their commitments. The ceremony was hosted in Paris by Deborah Meaden, our Patron, sustainable business advocate and star of the BBC’s Dragon’s Den.

United States companies in the spotlight

Eight of the winning businesses are based in the U.S.

• Applegate Farms, manufacturer, winner of the Good Chicken Award
• Campfire Treats, pet food company, winner of the Good Chicken Award
• Evermore Pet Food, pet food company, winner of the Good Chicken Award
• Kipster Farms, producer, winner of the Good Egg Award
• LaBelle Patrimoine, producer, winner of the Good Chicken Award
• Niman Ranch, producer, winner of the Good Sow Commendation Award
• White Oak Pastures, producer, winner of the ‘Producer’ Sustainable Food & Farming Award, the Good Sow Commendation and the Good Rabbit Commendation
• Wild Nosh Pets, pet food company, winner of the Good Chicken Award

Applegate is a leading U.S. manufacturer of natural and organic meat products who verifies all animal care practices through third-party certifications. They were one of the first to commit to higher welfare broiler chicken standards providing a consistent market to farmers who are committed to meeting these standards. 2017 signatories to the U.S. Better Chicken Commitment (BCC), they are currently 100% compliant with the on-farm standards of lighting, litter, enrichments and stocking density, while having transitioned 50% of their supply to use more humane slaughter methods and 10% to use higher welfare breeds, with a 2028 deadline to full compliance with all criteria of the BCC.

Carolyn Gahn, Senior Director, Mission and Advocacy at Applegate said:

“We are thrilled to receive the Compassion in World Farming Good Chicken Award. Animal welfare has always been at the heart of what we do at Applegate. Offering chickens space to move freely and to peck, roost and be, well, chicken-y are table stakes for us. We look forward to a day when these standards are embraced throughout the food system.”

Campfire Treats is the first company in the United States to become fully compliant with the U.S. BCC, setting an example for more than just pet food companies. They offer one of the largest selections of higher welfare dog treats available in the U.S., with over 20 different welfare-certified treats and chews. They first committed to the BCC in 2021 and fulfilled compliance with all standards in two years.

Marko Wittich, President & Co-Founder of Campfire Treats said:

“We are proud and humbled to receive Compassion in World Farming’s Good Chicken Award in recognition of being the first-ever company to produce dog treats in full compliance with the Better Chicken Commitment. We believe in improving the welfare of all animals—not just those we invite into our homes as pets.”

Evermore Pet Food became the second company to be fully compliant with the BCC in the U.S. Their policy builds on a commitment to animal welfare that has served as a foundation for the company since their inception in 2009. After committing to the BCC in 2022, they sourced products that met 100% compliance with standards for lighting, litter, enrichments, stocking density and humane slaughter (CAS). They fully implemented their commitment as policy less than two years later by switching their supply to a higher welfare breed.

Hanna Mandelbaum co-founder of Evermore Pet Food said:

“From day one animal welfare has been our top sourcing priority. We are proud to be [among] the first commercially prepared food (for pets or humans) in the U.S. to meet all of the Better Chicken Commitment standards and are truly honored to be recognized for this accomplishment.”

Dutch producer Kipster has been operating in the U.S. since October 2022 and has already created a meaningful impact toward humane and sustainable egg production. Establishing themselves as “cage-free by design”, all eggs produced under the Kipster name come from cage-free laying hens. Kipster houses have large indoor gardens with windows for natural light and outdoor access to allow expression of natural behaviors such as dustbathing, foraging, and scratching. Climbing structures are installed in every house so that hens have the option to perch.

Kipster is also dedicated to sustainability: measuring and reducing on-farm greenhouse gas emissions by evaluating chicken feed and litter and installing solar panels to limit their impact on the climate. Kipster is the first U.S. egg producer to pledge to adopting in-ovo sexing to eliminate the culling of male chicks. Kipster U.S. is Certified Humane, a leading third-party animal welfare certification for humane egg production in the U.S.

Ruud Zanders, co-founder of Kipster said:

“This is a profound honor for Kipster as it affirms our unwavering commitment to the care and attention we put into ensuring the welfare of our birds. This award fuels our passion to produce a truly better egg while always innovating to foster a compassionate and sustainable food system.”

Founded by 6th generation farmer Mike Charles, LaBelle Patrimoine are committed to caring for the animals they raise, and the farmland they’re raised on. The farms, all run by local farmers in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, raise healthier, slower-growing breeds with access to outdoor areas with necessary provisions to create a safe and enriched environment. LaBelle Patrimoine is the most recent U.S. producer to sign up to the BCC and is working to fulfil this commitment as they will be switching to humane slaughter by 2027. They are also one of a few producers that are USDA Approved Regeneratively Raised, ensuring regenerative and sustainable practices are implemented to improve soil health and carbon sequestration. They maintain strict compliance of their meaningful standards through Global Animal Partnership, meeting Step Level 4, which includes pasture access.

Mike Charles, Founder and CEO of LaBelle Patrimoine said:

“Since our inception, we set out to constantly strengthen our commitment to the very best care and compassion for our birds that are grown as promised. The honor of being recognized by CIWF for our animal welfare standards motivates us [to] always keep evolving to ensure consistently superior welfare outcomes.”

Niman Ranch is a leader in the U.S. for the humane treatment of pigs. It comprises a network of over 600 family farmers, 500 of which are raising pigs with strict animal welfare protocols outdoors and in deeply bedded pens. It is recognized for never using gestation crates or farrowing crates across any of its farms, ensuring that sows and pigs can live a higher quality of life. Niman Ranch also verifies all on-farm practices through the third-party certification, Certified Humane, a leading welfare certification in the U.S.

“This award is a testament to the extra care Niman Ranch’s network of family farmers put into raising their pigs with care,” said Paul Willis, founding hog farmer of Niman Ranch, a U.S. specialty meat company that partners with 500 Certified Humane hog farms raising 100% crate-free pigs sustainably and with no antibiotics. The company requires deep bedding and ample space for sows to root, roam, nest and play. “It’s not the easiest way to raise pigs, but it’s the right way to raise pigs.”

White Oak Pastures is a six-generation, 156-year-old farm in Bluffton, Georgia. Its farming style epitomizes what they call Radically Traditional Farming and is one of the most recognized regenerative farms in the U.S. What started as a conventional cattle operation has now transitioned to having 14 species working to restore the local ecosystem.

The company is dedicated to raising all species on pasture, in a system that closely mimics the experience animals would have in nature. This company does not use farrowing or gestation crates in its entire pork supply, allowing both sows and pigs to express natural behaviors. White Oak Pastures developed an innovative mobile housing system for meat rabbits called the “rabbitat” where rabbits live in groups, have access to grass and forage, and are rotated every few days. The rabbits are able to express their natural behaviors including running, digging, and hiding. White Oak Pastures is also working with CIWF to transition its breeding operation to a pasture model.

The farming practices at White Oak Pastures focus on regenerative land management, humane animal husbandry, and revitalizing the local rural community. It also founded the Centre for Agricultural Resilience, a nonprofit that acts as an educational center for the public to participate in workshops and learn more about how to build soil health, restore local ecosystems, and ensure high welfare for animals.

Will Harris, Owner of White Oak Pastures said:

"As a fourth-generation farmer, I made the decision to return the farm to a production system aligned with nature and its systems. We focus on regenerative land management and humane animal husbandry, which in turn helps our local community. We’re honored to be chosen to receive the Sustainable Food and Farming Award from Compassion in World Farming.”

End the Cage Age

A record number of awards were presented to companies leading the cage-free movement for hens, sows, and rabbits, reinforcing CIWF’s mission to ‘End the Cage Age.’ These leading companies are proving that cage-free production is not only viable and the right thing to do, but beneficial for their customers, their brand, and for the animals in their supply chain.

Currently in the U.S., roughly 40% of laying hen production is cage-free, and about 40% of sow production is group housed (limited confinement for confirmation of pregnancy). This progress is due to consumer demand, state legislation, and corporate commitments to transition away from intensive confinement for sows and hens.

A crucial time for animals and the environment

This year’s awards have showcased the progress that companies worldwide are making toward more humane and sustainable food production. Small and large producers alike were also recognized for their efforts to tackle broader environmental impacts —such as soil degradation and biodiversity loss – through regenerative practices.