The global Animal Partnership (GAP) is a nonprofit that has a rating system 1-5+ of various farm animals and products. GAP was founded in collaboration with Whole Foods Market in 2008. GAP defines animal welfare in three components, Health & Productivity, Natural Living, and Emotional Well Being. Farms are audited on-site by third-party independent certifiers for compliance of standards every 15 months. GAP requires farms, raw material manufacturers, processing facilities, packaged product manufacturers, retailers, and foodservice establishments to comply with the chain of custody protocols to ensure that all GAP certified meat products are labeled correctly.

Rating System
GAP is a rating certification level program (1-5+), as opposed to a singular certification program with only one set of standards that is a pass/fail. Higher steps are elective after the basic requirements of step 1 have been met. Standards include the treatment of animals during transport and at slaughter. Hormones, antibiotics, cages, and crates are all prohibited.

Depending on the level program and type of animal species, requirements vary. However, for all levels of certification, antibiotics, added growth hormones, and animal by-products are prohibited.

Beef can be raised on range or pasture and can also be feedlot finished for step 1-2. There is a 16-25hr maximum transport time to slaughter or spend their entire life on the farm.

Swine can be raised indoors or outdoors, or on pasture. Tail-docking and de-tusking is prohibited on all steps. No maximum on slaughter transport time (exception of step 5+ in which the animal must spend its entire life on farm), enrichments are required for step 2 and above, for steps 3 and above wallows, sprinklers or showers are required, along with outdoor are must have a minimum of 25% cover.

Chickens can be raised indoors or outdoors. There is a 4-5 hr maximum transport time for slaughter, or spend their entire life on the farm. For indoor birds, some enrichments are required, there is a required period of 6 hours of darkness, a minimum of 50 lux brightness for barns, or natural light. For birds that have access to outdoors or raised on pasture, there must be shade provided. Trimmings and other altercations are not explicitly prohibited at any steps.

Other livestock step requirements are also available.

To learn more visit:
Global Animal Partnership

Animal Welfare Approved
Certified Humane
Animal Welfare Charts
Animal Welfare Glossary

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