For many people, Thanksgiving looked a little bit different last year. Lockdowns and quarantine made it impossible for some to gather with their family and friends. We are thrilled to return to a sense of normalcy this holiday season, and we hope all can enjoy extravagant feasts with their loved ones. Almost as important as the company sitting around the table is the food that will be served on it. As you plan your Thanksgiving menu, we urge you to set a humane table.
If you’re like most Americans, you care about the welfare and treatment of the animals on the country’s farms and ranches. Here at American Humane we believe people should be able to follow their food preferences and find humanely raised products that are both safe and affordable. Luckily, setting a humane table is easier than ever before.
American Humane is the creator of the oldest and largest third-party farm animal welfare certification program in the country, and now certifies the humane treatment of nearly 1 billion farm animals – representing 10 percent of the animals raised on the country’s farms and ranches every year! Products bearing the American Humane Certified™ label signify that the animals were raised under science-based standards that provide good welfare and humane environments.
Turkey is the centerpiece of nearly every American Thanksgiving table, and we are pleased to note that Butterball, the largest producer of turkey products in the United States, is an American Humane Certified producer. And although turkey is the mainstay protein throughout the holiday season, American Humane also certifies producers that raise beef, chicken and pork products.
Since no holiday table is complete without sides and dessert, producers certified by American Humane are there to provide choices for consumers. Many stuffings and desserts call for eggs and American Humane is proud to certify more than 90 percent of all cage-free egg production in the United States. Mashed potatoes would not be the same without milk and butter, and many dairy farms around the country have made the humane choice to have their facilities certified by American Humane, demonstrating compliance with nearly 200 humane standards covering adequate space, air quality, lighting, temperature, food and water, and the ability for animals to display natural behaviors.
Americans have several choices when deciding what to serve their family and friends at the holidays, and we are proud to see that more and more of them are opting for humanely raised products because it is the right thing to do. We recognize that millions of Americans will consume meat, poultry, dairy and eggs during the holiday season, and we urge them to find items with our American Humane Certified™ seal at their local retailers.
Farmers and ranchers who go above and beyond to do right by the animals in their care deserve our applause and our gratitude. Support these farmers and ranchers and show that you care for our nation’s farm animals by setting a humane table.
