The Happy Egg Co. Receives AHA Certification

The happy egg co. has been granted humane certification from American Humane Association (AHA) in the category "Layer Hens: Free-Range and Pasture-raised." It is the first commercial egg producer in the United States to receive this certification, say officials. The happy egg co. is pursuing a humane path that is in line with results from a national survey by American Humane Association showing overwhelming support for humanely raised foods. The 2014 Humane Heartland Farm Animal Survey, released in November, found that 94.9% of Americans said they were very concerned about farm animal welfare and more than three-quarters (75.7%) were willing to pay more for humanely raised eggs, meat and dairy products. "We believe that all animals – those in our homes, those in service to our country, and those on our nation's farms and ranches – deserve humane treatment," says Dr. Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of AHA. "By becoming an American Humane Certified producer, the happy egg co. assures their consumers that the food on their plates was raised humanely and under the science- and evidence-based protections established by American Humane Association. We applaud them for their extraordinary commitment to good animal welfare." In order to qualify as an American Humane Certified "Layer Hens: Free-Range and Pasture-raised" producer, the happy egg co. had to meet the program's standards, which include providing each hen with access to 21.8 square feet of outdoor space during the daytime, and access to sheltered areas at nighttime and during inclement weather, as well as nearly 200 additional science-based standards. Free-range hens from the happy egg co. are free to roam daily, as well as flap, perch, forage and dust-bathe, which is natural hen behavior. "At the happy egg co., the welfare of our hens always comes first, which is why we're constantly working to establish even better living standards for our hens," says David Wagstaff, chief operating officer of the happy egg co. "It is important for the animals, our family farmers and our consumers, and is why we sought and achieved the rigorous standards of the American Humane Certified program. As the first and only free range egg producer to be certified, we have once again demonstrated the standard of care we give our hens to be the gold standard in hen welfare. The happy egg co. is the only 100% free-range egg brand with an animal welfare program that covers everything from living conditions to feed to expertise of caregivers." American Humane Association certifies three kinds of egg production that meet its animal welfare standards – enriched colony housing, cage-free and free-range. Each of these egg-production systems allow hens to move about freely and express natural behaviors. American Humane Association now certifies more than 90% of all cage-free eggs in the United States.