Tyson Foods has become the first company of its kinds to receive audit certification for all poultry across its supply chain. This came by the way of FarmCheck Animal Welfare Program, a 3rd-party animal welfare program that’s been certified by the Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization (PAACO).
PAACO had recently added both breeders and turkeys certifications on FarmCheck’s list, following their broiler chicken certification in 2019.
The FarmCheck program ensured that livestock and poultry suppliers for Tyson Foods were evaluated and monitored on important animal welfare control points, such as suitable housing and environment, correct animal handling by appropriate staff and optimal transportation.
“We are extremely pleased to announce that Tyson Foods has certified three of their audits through the rigorous process that PAACO offers,” Collette Kaster, executive director of PAACO, said. “The company’s vision to go above and beyond in the area of animal welfare is impressive, and the leadership of their team is evident in programs like FarmCheck.”
Dr. Karen Christensen, senior director of animal welfare at Tyson Foods, said, “The certification of all our FarmCheck poultry audits is an important part of our approach to welfare, and becoming the first company to receive audit certification across the poultry supply chain demonstrates our efforts to continuously improve welfare for the animals entrusted to our care. We appreciate the rigorous review of our audits that is required for PAACO certification. It shows to our customers and consumers that welfare is a top priority for Tyson Foods.”
The company encourages team members to scrutinise incidences of animal mistreatment, while promoting pro-animal welfare attitude throughout all of its facilities. For this reason, Tyson makes sure that every staff that will come in contact with live animals receives animal welfare formation, and for those that will be involved in live animal handling, they undergo more advanced training.
“We embrace our moral and ethical responsibility to treat animals in our care humanely,” said Dr. Ken Opengart, Tyson vice president of animal welfare and international sustainability. “Today’s announcement is our next step in providing industry leadership and ensuring proper animal husbandry and care to the animals entrusted to us.”
