Humanely Raised/Handled
Unless verified by a third-party certification program which includes a set of independent standards, this term does not have any meaningful definition as it has no set standards for animal welfare or slaughter.

Ethically/Responsibly/Thoughtfully Raised
No meaningful definition as it has no set standards for animal welfare or slaughter unless verified by a third-party certification program which includes a set of independent standards.

Stress-Free Environment
Unless verified by a third-party certification program which includes a set of independent standards, this term does not have any meaningful definition as it has no set standards for animal welfare or slaughter.

Vegetarian Fed
This label indicates that the animal's diet did not contain any animal byproducts. No relevance to the welfare of the animal in regard to the conditions in which the animals were raised. This has no set standards for animal welfare or slaughter.

Cage Free
"Cage-Free" unless verified by a third-party certification program which includes a set of independent standards, this term does not have any meaningful definition as it has no set standards for animal welfare.

Crate Free
Unless verified by a third-party certification program which includes a set of independent standards, this term does not have any meaningful definition as it has no set standards for animal welfare. Does not mean that animals were able to go outside.

Farm Fresh/Farm Raised
No legal or regulated definition. No relevance to the welfare of the animal in regard to the conditions in which the animals were raised, or what they ate.

Free Range
Only assures that animals have the opportunity to go outside for at least 51% of their lives for poultry, not that they are put on open pasture. No legal definition for any other animal. Unless verified by a third-party certification program which includes a set of independent standards, this term does not have any meaningful definition as it has no set standards for animal welfare.

100% Natural
The USDA defines the term “natural” for meat and poultry as “a product containing no artificial ingredients or added color and is only minimally processed." This term cannot be verified by a third-party certification program and therefore does not have set standards for animal welfare.

USDA Process Verified
A process in which farmers submit their own standards for raising animals for consideration. After it is approved, the USDA audits to verify that the farm is following its own standards and then granted Process Verified Program certification. This has no set standards for animal welfare or slaughter.

Click here for a downloadable list of references used for Animal Welfare.