Industry Standards and Guidelines

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.

• In the U.S. and Canada, 100% of our cattle are slaughtered according to North American Meat Institute (NAMI) standards. Cargill serves as a technical contributor to these guidelines.
• Additionally, all drivers delivering cattle to our U.S. slaughter plants are certified by the Beef Quality Assurance Transportation and Training Certification Program (BQAT) for cattle transporters.
• Likewise, we meet and exceed our commitment that 90% of our U.S. feed yard cattle supply come from yards that are Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certified, a program that educates cattle producers in animal handling best practices, including optimal antibiotic use.
• We support the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) program, a set of animal welfare guidelines for use by dairy farmers.
• We employ more than 30 Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization (PAACO) certified auditors.
• In Canada, our cattle supply is raised in accordance with the Canadian Codes of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle and Dairy Cattle.
• The vast majority (99%) of the dairy cattle entering our beef supply chain in Canada originate from producers registered by proAction, an on-farm assurance program of Dairy Farmers of Canada that includes a third-party auditing program.
• Transporters delivering cattle to our Canadian plants adhere to the Canadian Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Farm Animals for Transportation.
• We also support several other assurance programs in Canada, including Verified Beef Production Plus, the Ontario Corn Fed Beef Quality Assurance Program, and the Canadian Livestock Transport Certification Program.

• 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.

Additionally:

• All Cargill-owned birds are raised, processed and handled according to National Turkey Federation guidelines.
• Our key marketing claims are USDA Process Verified.
• Our programs are managed by PAACO-trained staff, and we educate growers and employees alike on animal handling.
• Loading crews for transporting birds to our processing facilities are trained to properly load and move them, minimizing stress. This training is based on National Turkey Federation guidelines.

• All 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, all broilers are in accordance  with 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.

• 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.

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