QUEBEC CITY — Retailers in the United States and Canada can't keep up with consumer demand for organic pork, a trend that helped drive duBreton's recent commitment to raise an additional 300,000 crate-free pigs by 2018. At this week's Let's Talk About Food Festival in Boston, duBreton® – North America's largest producer of organic and Certified Humane Raised and Handled® pork – partnered with Adele Douglass, the founder and CEO of Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC), to lead the conversation about the growth and importance of this strong movement and new category.
Douglass has worked on animal welfare issues, including farm animal issues, for more than 25 years. Twelve years ago, she launched HFAC to introduce a certification program to improve the lives of farm animals through the marketplace. Today, more than 96.7 million farm animals live under HFAC's Certified Humane® standards in four countries. At Let's Talk About Food, Douglass shared how the Certified Humane® certification program and more responsible farm animal practices can help harness consumer demand while delivering a higher-quality product. "As consumers ourselves, don't we all want what's best for our families and the animals we raise?" Douglass said. "Consumers are becoming more vigilant in wanting to know where their food comes from and how it was raised."
DuBreton has been an industry leader and advocate for setting higher standards in the raising and handling of pigs since the 1990s, when it first began instituting organic practices. In the years that followed, duBreton embraced humane practices and was the first North American pork producer to earn many of the food industry's most respected certifications.
"Our pigs are raised crate-free, so they can roam freely and communally — just like they would naturally," said Claire Michaud, director of marketing for duBreton. "We also raise our pigs without antibiotics, which is healthier for consumers and better for the environment, and we feed the pigs a diet based on vegetable grains. These elements make for happier pigs and, ultimately, for a higher-quality product."
DuBreton was also the first North American pork producer to be verified for the Certified Humane Raised and Handled® label. "Certified Humane Raised and Handled® means your food comes from farms that follow precise standards for the humane treatment of farm animals," Douglass said. "This label is a true testament to duBreton's unique commitment to producing the highest-quality organic pork. Since they first began the certification process in 2003, duBreton has made great strides to expand on their Certified Humane® properties and operations, and we are proud to certify them."
This commitment to delivering healthier, higher-quality pork has resonated with retailers and consumers across North America, Asia and Europe. Today, such brands as Crosby's and Chipotle sell duBreton products. With its new commitment to raise 300,000 crate-free pigs, which represents an almost $23 million investment, duBreton is "betting the farm" on the fact that consumer demand for higher standards for the ethical treatment of animals raised for consumption will continue to gain momentum.
According to Michaud, "We have two main goals: give consumers better quality meat, and raise pigs in a more humane way. We can trace animals from farms to store shelves."
About duBreton: A Family Business, a Tradition of Quality
The year 1944 marked the beginning of a new company built by a passionate young farming couple named Napoleon and Adrienne Breton. Over time and through acquisitions and development of other companies, the Breton Tradition 1944 group became one of the jewels of agri-food production, particularly in the pork sector. Now a leading pork processing specialist, duBreton's goal is to satisfy the tastes of the world's greatest chefs, restaurants and homes throughout the United States, Canada, Asia and Europe. DuBreton offers a complete range of pork products, including organic, and its Rustic Farm Pork line has an increased focus on humane farming techniques.
Source: duBreton
