WASHINGTON — American Humane Association, the country's first national humane organization and creator of the first and largest third-party farm animal welfare certification program, announced today that Arkansas-based producer Ozark Mountain Poultry has met its rigorous farm animal welfare standards and achieved certification through the American Humane Certified™ program. Ozark Mountain Poultry currently produces approximately 4 million pounds of poultry products a week for its consumer brand Forester Farmer's Market® and the restaurant industry.
"We take great care in how we raise and process our chickens, and we think it makes a big difference in the taste and overall quality of our products," said Ed Fryar, President of OMP Foods. "We feel that becoming American Humane Certified is the best way to communicate our commitment to humanely raising birds to our customers and consumers."
American Humane Association's most recent survey shows overwhelming popular support for the humane treatment of farm animals.Its Humane Heartland™ Farm Animal Survey polled 5,900 Americans and more than nine in ten (94.9%) said they are "very concerned" about farm animal welfare, up from 89 percent in American Humane Association's 2013 study. More than three-quarters (75.7%) stated that they are very willing to pay more for humanely raised eggs, meat, and dairy products, up from 74 percent in 2013.
"More and more Americans are demanding humanely raised foods, and with 10 billion animals raised on America's farms and ranches every year, it is our duty to treat them humanely," said Dr. Robin Ganzert, American Humane Association's president and CEO. "We are pleased that Ozark Mountain Poultry has made the humane choice and achieved certification through our American Humane Certified program."
American Humane Association was founded around the issue of farm animal welfare in 1877 and has been at the forefront of improvements and protections for children, pets and farm animals for 138 years (see historic timeline). With a history of working positively and collaboratively with farmers, ranchers, animal advocates and the American public to create moderate, mainstream and commonsense solutions that work for both animals and people, in 2000 American Humane Association created the nation's first third-party farm animal welfare certification and auditing program with more than 200 science-based standards covering everything from adequate space to air quality, heat and lighting, humane treatment, and the ability for animals to be animals and express the natural behaviors of their kind. These standards for the resulting American Humane Certified program were built upon the internationally accepted values of the Five Freedoms, adopted by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, as well as input from animal science experts, veterinarians and other animal husbandry specialists. These evidence-based standards are reviewed regularly by a Scientific Advisory Committee made up of some of the world's leading experts and animal advocates.
More information about the American Humane Certified program can be found at www.humaneheartland.org. Information about Ozark Mountain Poultry may be found at www.OMPFoods.com.
About American Humane Association
American Humane Association is the country's first national humane organization and the only one dedicated to protecting both children and animals. Since 1877, American Humane Association has been at the forefront of virtually every major advance in protecting our most vulnerable from cruelty, abuse and neglect. Today we're also leading the way in understanding the human-animal bond and its role in therapy, medicine and society. American Humane Association reaches millions of people every day through groundbreaking research, education, training and services that span a wide network of organizations, agencies and businesses. You can help make a difference, too. Visit American Humane Association at www.americanhumane.org today.
About OMP Foods
OMP Foods is a family-owned company based in Rogers, Arkansas. The company's poultry processing operations, Ozark Mountain Poultry, produces approximately 4 million pounds of antibiotic free poultry per week for the restaurant industry and its retail products which are available at a variety of grocery retailers throughout the country under its consumer based brand Forester Farmer's Market®. The company also operates Customer Link, a creative sales and marketing company focused on product/brand development, planning, sales and marketing. OMP Foods employs approximately 1,400 employees. Additional information about the company can be found by visiting www.ompfoods.com.
Source: American Humane Association
