SOURCE: Susan Kelly, MEATINGPLACE, 2/26/18

A report that evaluates corporate commitments to animal welfare, compiled annually by two animal welfare groups, ranks Perdue Farms, JBS and Cargill among global meat processors that have made the issue integral to their business strategies.

The project, called the Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare, gives the companies a “Tier 2” rating, out of six levels. McDonald’s is a notable “Tier 2” restaurant operator. The report reviewed 110 companies, of which 32 based are in the United States.

Its results show that 88 percent of U.S. companies have now made formal policy commitments on farm animal welfare, up from 76 percent in 2016.

“We’ve been working very hard the last few years to improve the conditions under which our animals are raised,” Jim Perdue, chairman of Perdue Farms, said in a separate news release. “The Business Benchmark aligns with our vision to be the most-trusted name in premium protein, and provides independent, third-party recognition of our progress. We share a common goal in improving farm animal welfare.” 

The assessment was started in 2012 by animal welfare organizations Compassion in World Farming and World Animal Protection. In 2014, Coller Capital joined as an additional partner

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