Encourage the Dairy Industry to Strengthen and Enforce Their Animal Welfare Standards

Dear John, 

Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) is an industry program that provides audits and certifications for dairy producers and processors based on standards in five categories, including animal welfare. FARM revises its standards every three years, and provides the opportunity for public comment shortly before the new standards are adopted by the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) board. According to the NMPF, the FARM certification covers 99% of dairy produced in the United States.

In August, AWI sent a letter to FARM with recommendations to improve animal care standards based on current science, international welfare standards, and consumer expectations evidenced by public opinion surveys. FARM published the draft rules last week, and while it made some improvements on the prior standards, it falls woefully short of what we know consumers expect and the science supports.

FARM says its goal is to "continue showing customers and consumers that we're holding the dairy industry to the highest standard." The public comment period is an opportunity for consumers to tell dairy producers that they expect higher welfare standards.

What You Can Do

Before October 26, add your name, city, and state to a letter that AWI will send on your behalf to FARM, expressing your support as a consumer for specific improvements to the animal welfare standards.

Please be sure to share our action alert with family, friends, and co-workers, and encourage them to take action, too. As always, thank you very much for your help!

Sincerely,

Adrienne Craig, Staff Attorney

Farm Animal Program

P.S. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for other important animal protection actions and news. Check out the latest edition of the AWI Quarterly!

Photo by Jo-Anne McArthur, We Animals Media

Animal Welfare Institute

900 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20003
(202) 337-2332 | www.awionline.org

The Animal Welfare Institute is a not-for-profit organization, founded in 1951 and dedicated to reducing animal suffering caused by people. We seek better treatment of animals everywhere: in the laboratory, on the farm, in commerce, at home, and in the wild.