Global Animal Partnership (GAP), a farm animal welfare standards organization, announced its intention over the next eight years to replace 100 percent of fast-growing chicken breeds with slower-growing breeds for all levels of its 5-Step Rating Program. Whole Foods Market quickly announced it will follow suit by requiring all its producers to move away from fast-growth breeds of chicken.
GAP is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 2008. The 5-Step program is a multi-tiered, third party-certified animal welfare program that recognizes producers for their welfare practices. Currently about 600 chicken farms raising 277 million chickens annually use the GAP standard.
“Chicken producers are in the business of providing choice in the marketplace, and we strongly support that choice,” National Chicken Council spokesman Tom Super told Meatingplace. “Whether it is traditional chicken, organic, free-range or raised without antibiotics, consumers have the ability to choose products that take into account many factors, including taste preference, personal values and affordability. We do not believe, however, that one production system should be vilified at the expense of another.”
Super noted that companies must also consider the negative environmental and sustainability repercussions of switching to birds that reach market weight slower.
“We take pride in the care of our chickens, and the fact is that our national flock is as healthy as it’s ever been, but we know it’s on us as an industry to do a better job of providing more information on how our food gets from farm to table. Food is an emotionally charged topic, and with conflicting information readily available online and on social media, it’s understandable people are concerned,” Super added.
NCC recently launched Chicken Check In, inviting consumers to come and take a look at the work the industry is doing to provide safe, healthy and sustainable food. There is information on the site that addresses the issue of growth rates, and videos that explore life inside of the chicken houses.
“GAP has reviewed scientific literature and existing genetics across the world in making this decision, and is confident that this new direction will bring benefit to birds, producers, consumers, and food purveyors alike, Implementing this transition will require significant work, but we are confident we can get there,” said Anne Malleau, executive director for GAP.
“Since 2011, Whole Foods Market has used Global Animal Partnership’s 5-Step Rating system to provide our customers with standards and information around how the animal was raised for the meat they buy,” said Theo Weening, global meat buyer for Whole Foods Market. “Supporting this additional commitment to improve chicken welfare is a step forward in continuing to provide our customers with products of the highest quality and flavor.”
According to GAP, fast-growing chicken breeds currently represent 98 percent of all commercially available chicken meat in North America. Modern chickens have been genetically selected for their fast, efficient growth and higher yield of breast meat. GAP asserts that this has had detrimental impacts on the welfare of broiler chickens, including immune and musculoskeletal problems.
