Animal Welfare at Cargill

Industry Standards and Guidelines

For some regions in which we operate, there are voluntary industry standards and guidelines that have been developed by the scientific committees of their respective organizations. These voluntary standards are species-specific and exceed government regulations.

Cargill has supported and adopted many of these industry standards. Often these standards are the foundation for third party audits as well as internal audits required within in our supply chain.

We ensure that we meet our policy commitments, in part, through internal and external audits. Although we do not publicly disclose our audit results, we are stringent about, and committed to, maintaining a high level of animal welfare performance, ensuring that we meet or exceed audit requirements.

Beef and dairy cattle

For our beef business, Cargill abides by numerous guidelines and audit criteria established by third parties that we collaborate with. These organizations invest in fact-based and science-based research to validate program protocols, processes and procedures in a manner that promotes continuous improvement to assure humane handling and processing of animals.

Processing

North American Meat Institute (NAMI). Updated June 2017, Cargill is a key contributor to these updated materials.
Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization (PAACO). Each plant has multiple PAACO certified auditors
Food Safety Net Services (FSNS)
In our beef operations, 90% of the cattle we slaughter in the U.S. originates from BQA-certified feed yards.

On the farm

Turkey

Our turkey business created a turkey welfare advisory committee to provide oversight and guidance on animal welfare. The committee includes both internal Cargill veterinarians and animal welfare experts, in addition to industry and academic subject matter experts.
The turkey welfare advisory committee monitors program requirements and the business’s audits findings, and provides guidance related to future program changes that are founded upon science-based new technologies and/or customer requirements.
Our birds are raised, processed and handled at, or above, the standards established by the National Turkey Federation guidelines.

Broilers

Broilers processed at our Canadian facility abide by the Chicken Farmers of Canada’s (CFC) Animal Care guidelines as well as the National Chicken Council’s (NCC) animal care best practice guidelines. See also the National Farm Animal Care Council broiler chicken code of practice.
Our U.K. poultry supply chain has achieved 100% accreditation under the Red Tractor, or equivalent, food assurance schemes for high standards of animal welfare, food safety and hygiene.
In China, we follow the Chinese Broiler Welfare Industry Standard.
The rest of our broiler businesses adhere to the best practices that generally mirror those of the NCC as well as incorporating local best practices.
All our birds are handled with care using low stress methods.

Eggs

Our U.S. egg processing business purchases 100% of its cage-free eggs from suppliers that are certified by either American Humane Association, Humane Farm Animal Care or United Egg Producers. This means they must meet the animal welfare standards of the respective certifying body.
Our U.S. egg processing business purchases cage-free eggs that are certified by either American Humane Association, Humane Farm Animal Care or United Egg Producers.

Pork

Although Cargill no longer owns or operates pork processing facilities in the U.S., we do require that pork supplied to us for a variety of protein products that we produce comes from hogs that are humanely handled and processed.

The organizations that establish criteria for the humane treatment of hogs include the following:

Processing

North American Meat Institute (NAMI)
Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization (PAACO)

On the farm

National Pork Board