Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW
A Greener World (AGW) has the most rigorous standards for farm animal welfare and environmental sustainability across the globe. Our Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW standards have been developed in collaboration with scientists, veterinarians, researchers and farmers across the globe to maximize practicable, high-welfare farm management with the environment in mind.
Covering all major farmed livestock and poultry, our standards are proven to be achievable in the vast majority of farm situations, and we update them regularly to incorporate new research or to reflect “best practice.” The basic premise of all our standards is that animals must be able to behave naturally and be in a state of physical and psychological well-being, and that the way we raise our animals, the nutritional quality of the food they produce, and the impact of the farming system on the environment are all intrinsically linked.
Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW:
- Requires animals to be raised on pasture or range
- Awards approval only to independent farmers
- Incorporates the most comprehensive standards for high welfare farming
To accomplish the goals of the Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW program, all standards address every aspect of each species’ lifecycle needs from birth to death. AGW works diligently to maintain a farm’s ability to be economically viable and the standards have been proven to be achievable by the vast majority of farm situations. Our standards are reviewed annually and updated as needed to incorporate new research and on-farm findings.
Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW has standards for all commonly domesticated farmed animals. A number of other species are managed for meat and fiber. Other more exotic species will only be considered for accreditation if they are indigenous to the country where they are being produced. Currently, the only additional species is as follows:
- Bison in the U.S.
Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW in the U.S. cannot consider the following non-indigenous species for entry into the program:
- Yak
- Water Buffalo
- Ratites (Ostriches, Rheas, Emus)
- Llamas and Alpacas
- Beefalo
