FAQs
All Producer FAQs
What’s the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme?
The RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme is Australia’s leading independent certification scheme focused on animal welfare. We work closely with farmers to make a positive impact on the lives of farm animals by providing an environment that meets their needs. Millions of hens, pigs, chickens, turkeys and salmon have benefitted from better farm conditions since the Scheme began. Read our 2020 Impact Report
How is the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme impacted by Covid-19?
COVID-19 has necessitated a temporary change to how assessments of farms participating in the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme take place. In normal circumstances, farms are visited by RSPCA Assessors a minimum of twice a year. However for the time being, when scheduled on site assessments are not possible, remote virtual assessments will be implemented. Please see our update for further information.How long has the Scheme been operating?
We’ve been operating for more than 20 years! Our animal welfare standards for layer hens were first launched in 1996, followed by standards for pigs in 2001 and standards for meat chickens and turkeys in 2010. Standards for farmed Atlantic salmon were released in 2016.How regularly are RSPCA Approved farms assessed?
Assessment of farms against the Standards is a critical aspect of the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme. RSPCA Approved farms are assessed by an RSPCA Assessor 2–4 times a year, the assessment team may also conduct unscheduled visits. Our Assessors are well versed in farm animal behaviour and check that farms comply with the RSPCA’s standards.
How do you make sure producers are adhering to the standards?
RSPCA Approved farms receive regular assessments from an RSPCA Assessor to check that they are meeting the standards. Producers are also required to submit information detailing both production data and any on-farm issues between assessments.Brands marketing products as RSPCA Approved must have traceability systems in place to ensure these products are clearly identified, kept separate from other products, and can be traced from point of sale back through to the farm.
Why is the RSPCA involved in the farming of animals?
In the absence of better legal requirements for Australia’s most intensively farmed animals, the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme was developed as a solution to drive better welfare standards on farm.As an organisation committed to science-based animal welfare policies, one of the most meaningful ways we can improve the lives of farmed animals is to ensure they are reared in an environment that meets their individual needs and encourages them to express their natural behaviours.
Find out more about the RSPCA’s role in Australian agriculture here.
What is humane food?
Are the RSPCA’s standards the highest standards possible?
Our standards set a high level for animal welfare by aiming to give some of Australia’s most intensively farmed animals a better quality of life. They reach beyond the current legal requirements while still being commercially viable.
How do RSPCA Approved standards compare with the law?
RSPCA Approved standards go beyond legal requirements. See our comparison tables for a summary of what this means for layer hens, meat chickens and pigs.How are the RSPCA’s standards developed?
RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme standards are based on animal welfare science, RSPCA policy, leading farming practices in Australia and overseas and take account of the commercial realities associated with farming. Livestock industries and individual producers also provide input. The standards are reviewed every five years and are publicly available.
I’m confused by the terms on packaging, such as ‘free range’, ‘outdoor bred’ and ‘cage free’?
‘Free range’, ‘outdoor bred’ and ‘cage free’ are all used to describe systems used for housing farm animals.Consumers should read labels carefully and choose products checked or accredited by reputable organisations that have standards available for you to compare, like the RSPCA. Without nationally agreed definitions or standards for product labelling, terms like ‘free range’ can be used without informing consumers how much access the animals really have to the outdoors.
Is free range better than RSPCA Approved?
Good animal welfare isn’t just about outdoor access or stocking density. Our standards focus on a combination of factors in order to provide animals with a better quality of life.
What’s the problem with cage eggs?
Cage eggs come from hens confined in battery cages. With each bird provided with less space than an A4 sheet of paper, there is no room for the hens to perch, nest, forage, stretch, dust bathe or flap their wings. More than 10 million layer hens live in battery cages in Australia. While all production systems have advantages and disadvantages, there’s overwhelming evidence that cages cannot meet the needs of layer hens. This is why the RSPCA is campaigning for an end to battery cages.How will cage free end the battery cage?
How is the Scheme funded?
Donations to the RSPCA are not used to fund the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme.A company or producer that wishes to participate in the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme must meet the RSPCA’s detailed animal welfare Standards and be subject to a rigorous certification program. This program includes participating in frequent on-site assessments by RSPCA Assessors who provide their reports to the RSPCA Certification Body for review.
The costs of running the Scheme, including having RSPCA Assessors visit farms and the RSPCA Certification Body overseeing these assessments, is covered by a licensing fee. This fee is paid by those that use the RSPCA Approved brand and is calculated with consideration of how much it costs to have the company, brand or producer participate and be certified.
The RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme exists to improve the lives of farm animals and is a not-for-profit program.
Is money raised from Scheme licensing fees used for RSPCA campaigns?
Licensing fees charged to companies participating in the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme are quarantined and used only to fund the Scheme – they do not fund campaigns.How do I join the Scheme?
Producers and brand owners that want to improve animal welfare on their farms, or wish to have their efforts recognised, can apply to join the Scheme and implement the RSPCA’s detailed animal welfare standards. To get started, we recommend reviewing the relevant species Standards, along with the Scheme’s Operations Manual and get in touch to discuss.Who operates the Scheme?
The RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme is owned and operated by RSPCA Australia.The RSPCA established the Approved Farming Scheme as part of its efforts to improve the lives of Australia’s farm animals and provide guidance and a trustworthy choice to consumers wanting to purchase products from higher welfare production systems.
See the Operations Manual for more information on the processes behind the Scheme.
Does ‘organic’ mean good welfare?
A product that’s organic is not necessarily higher welfare. Organic agriculture has a focus on avoiding the use of synthetic chemicals, such as synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilisers, hormones and antibiotics. Organic meat production usually includes access to the outdoors, but the exact standards vary.Why are male chicks culled in the egg industry and how can this be changed?
How has the Scheme worked with the meat chicken industry to improve welfare?
What are the welfare issues relating to farming meat chickens and turkeys?
Meat chickens and turkeys raised in conventional systems spend their life in barren, cramped and dimly lit environments. Birds are discouraged from moving about and eat continuously, gaining weight rapidly which causes severe welfare problems, including weak legs, eye and respiratory issues and in some cases heart failure. Weak legs means increased contact with often damp litter, causing foot pad burns, hock burns and breast blisters.What are the welfare issues relating to farming pigs?
Pigs raised in intensive indoor systems (including sow-stall free) don’t have the ability to express natural behaviours, such as foraging and nesting. The close confinement of pigs in indoor systems raises welfare concerns because the lack of freedom and barrenness of their surroundings can lead to stress, injury and abnormal behaviours. To reduce the incidence of tail biting piglets endure painful procedures without anaesthetic, such as having their tails docked and teeth clipped.What happens on an RSPCA Approved pig farm?
Why does the RSPCA have a Standard for farmed Atlantic salmon?
Aquaculture remains one of the fastest-growing animal protein production sectors in the world, so as an animal welfare organisation, the RSPCA considers it critical that good farm animal welfare is seen as a crucial component of this.
RSPCA Australia aims to improve the lives of as many farm animals as possible, including farmed fish. One way in which we do this is through the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme. Since releasing animal welfare standards for farmed Atlantic salmon in 2016, more than 11.9 million fish have benefitted from better conditions on farm.
Find out more answers to questions about how the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme is improving the lives of farmed salmon.
What happens on an RSPCA Approved salmon farm?
Is intensive aquaculture similar to intensive land-based livestock production?
Aquaculture is an alternative to fishing in the wild and accounts for around half of all global fish production. Seafood is the fourth most consumed meat in Australia following poultry, beef and pork. It’s essential that those responsible for managing farmed animals (either on land or in the water) ensure their welfare is an integral part of production. For fish, this includes providing enough space to swim normally in oxygen-rich water, handling fish in a manner that avoids stress, and stunning to ensure unconsciousness at the time of slaughter.Do the RSPCA’s salmon standards address the potential environmental impact of aquaculture systems?
Yes. Aquaculture companies participating in the Scheme in addition to meeting government regulations, must demonstrate ongoing compliance with a recognised, third-party audited certification scheme that promotes best environmental practice. For more information visit the RSPCA KnowledgebaseHow do RSPCA Approved salmon farms protect fish from predators, such as seals?
Maintaining good fish welfare by protecting farmed Atlantic salmon from predators, such as seals and sea birds is critical to the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme standards. Fish are vulnerable to stress, injuries and mortalities as a result of interactions with predators.The RSPCA believes that exclusion measures must be the primary method of preventing seals and sea birds from attacking salmon. The design of pens must be effective in keeping seals out while keeping fish safe. Good pen design greatly reduces the number of instances of seals injuring and killing fish and also prevents seals and birds from becoming trapped inside pens. Find out more
Can salmon from Macquarie Harbour be RSPCA Approved?
Due to the current environmental conditions and risk of poor welfare outcomes for fish, the RSPCA’s standards currently don’t permit, farming of salmon in Macquarie Harbour, Tasmania. This means that any salmon sourced from Macquarie Harbour can’t be labelled as RSPCA Approved. To make sure you’re buying RSPCA Approved salmon, look for the RSPCA Approved logo on pack.Will the Scheme introduce standards for cattle and sheep?
The nature of beef and lamb farming in Australia means that animals generally aren’t affected by the same welfare concerns related to behavioural restriction faced by animals in intense confinement (such as can be experienced by layer hens, pigs, meat chickens, turkeys and ducks). We will look into the feasibility of introducing higher welfare standards for cattle and sheep. In the meantime, as a consumer you can contact the makers of your favourite beef and lamb products and ask them about standards of care for their animals.Why does the RSPCA have standards for dairy calves?
Raising excess dairy calves for veal or beef is one way to increase the value of an animal that would otherwise be considered a by-product and destined for slaughter at five days old. By increasing their value and providing an alternative market, there is real potential to improve the welfare of some of the many hundreds of thousands of calves slaughtered each year.Find out more here about how dairy calf welfare can be improved.
How can the welfare of bobby calves be improved?
How often are meat chicken abattoirs assessed as part of the Scheme?
The RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme Standard – Meat Chickens sets specific requirements for the transportation, handling, stunning and slaughter of meat chickens. Assessors conduct yearly assessments at abattoirs, where chickens from RSPCA Approved farms are sent for slaughter, to ensure they are meeting these requirements. Included in the standard is the requirement for CCTV in any areas where live birds are handled or processed at abattoirs. CCTV must also be routinely monitored by authorised staff to ensure standards are maintained.
All Consumer FAQs
What’s the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme’s mission?
The RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme’s mission is to improve the lives of as many farm animals as possible, today.To achieve this, the RSPCA has developed detailed animal welfare standards that go beyond what’s legally required in Australia.
Since that Scheme began in 1996, more than 3 billion farm animals have lived a better quality of life. Find out more about our impact here
What does the RSPCA Approved logo mean?
Does the RSPCA promote veganism or vegetarianism?
While we respect the choices of people that don’t eat meat or animal products, we believe we can work to improve the way farm animals are treated by getting involved in the processes and pushing government and industry for better farm production standards. We encourage people that do eat meat, fish and eggs to make good choices, which is why we focus on making higher welfare products readily available.Why should people care about what they are eating?
Like many Australians, we believe that all animals should be treated humanely, whether they’re animals we eat, farm or live with as companions.What is humane food?
Are the RSPCA’s standards the highest standards possible?
Our standards set a high level for animal welfare by aiming to give some of Australia’s most intensively farmed animals a better quality of life. They reach beyond the current legal requirements while still being commercially viable.Is RSPCA Approved free range?
The RSPCA’s standards accommodate farming systems that may house animals in enriched indoor environments; or in systems where they are housed in a large shed with outdoor access (free range); or in systems that have animals living in paddocks with sheds providing protection from the weather (free range).Many farm animals with access to outdoors will spend a lot of time inside a shed. This means that conditions and space inside the shed are very important.
Free range meat chickens for example, spend the first three weeks of their lives (until they are fully feathered) inside and then are usually locked in the shed overnight to protect them from foxes and other predators.
RSPCA Approved farms that allow animals access to the outdoors are required to meet the RSPCA’s indoor housing standards plus the outdoor standards.
Is free range better than RSPCA Approved?
Good animal welfare isn’t just about outdoor access or stocking density. Our standards focus on a combination of factors in order to provide animals with a better quality of life.Why choose RSPCA Approved?
RSPCA Approved farms raise animals to our detailed animal welfare standards and are assessed regularly to ensure conformance. Brands sourcing from RSPCA Approved farms must have traceability systems in place to trace product from point of sale right back through to the farm.Find out more here.
What happens on an RSPCA Approved egg farm?
What’s the problem with cage eggs?
Cage eggs come from hens confined in battery cages. With each bird provided with less space than an A4 sheet of paper, there is no room for the hens to perch, nest, forage, stretch, dust bathe or flap their wings. More than 10 million layer hens live in battery cages in Australia. While all production systems have advantages and disadvantages, there’s overwhelming evidence that cages cannot meet the needs of layer hens. This is why the RSPCA is campaigning for an end to battery cages.What are barn-laid eggs?
Barn-laid eggs come from hens that are able to move about in large sheds.A barn-laid system that meets RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme standards will meet the needs of hens and can be just as good for a layer hen welfare as a free-range system.
How will cage free end the battery cage?
How is the Scheme funded?
Donations to the RSPCA are not used to fund the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme.A company or producer that wishes to participate in the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme must meet the RSPCA’s detailed animal welfare Standards and be subject to a rigorous certification program. This program includes participating in frequent on-site assessments by RSPCA Assessors who provide their reports to the RSPCA Certification Body for review.
The costs of running the Scheme, including having RSPCA Assessors visit farms and the RSPCA Certification Body overseeing these assessments, is covered by a licensing fee. This fee is paid by those that use the RSPCA Approved brand and is calculated with consideration of how much it costs to have the company, brand or producer participate and be certified.
The RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme exists to improve the lives of farm animals and is a not-for-profit program.
Does ‘organic’ mean good welfare?
A product that’s organic is not necessarily higher welfare. Organic agriculture has a focus on avoiding the use of synthetic chemicals, such as synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilisers, hormones and antibiotics. Organic meat production usually includes access to the outdoors, but the exact standards vary.Why are male chicks culled in the egg industry and how can this be changed?
What happens on an RSPCA Approved chicken farm?
How has the Scheme worked with the meat chicken industry to improve welfare?
Are animals on RSPCA Approved farms given antibiotics or hormones?
While antibiotics are used to treat disease, no hormones are used in animal production under the Scheme.How are antibiotics used in animal agriculture and should we be concerned?
Are hormones used in meat chicken farming?
Meat chickens in Australia are not fed growth hormones, their growth rate is due to their genetics and selective breeding. Elsewhere in the world meat chickens may be given growth hormones but this is not the case for Australian meat chickens.Are meat chickens kept in cages?
In Australia, meat chickens are not kept in cages. Most are raised in large, environmentally-controlled sheds and some also have daytime access to the outdoors once they are fully feathered.
Layer hens and meat chickens are two breeds of bird grown for different purposes. Layer hens are egg-laying specialists, while meat chickens are bred to produce meat.
What are the welfare issues relating to farming meat chickens and turkeys?
Meat chickens and turkeys raised in conventional systems spend their life in barren, cramped and dimly lit environments. Birds are discouraged from moving about and eat continuously, gaining weight rapidly which causes severe welfare problems, including weak legs, eye and respiratory issues and in some cases heart failure. Weak legs means increased contact with often damp litter, causing foot pad burns, hock burns and breast blisters.What happens on an RSPCA Approved turkey farm?
What are the welfare issues relating to farming pigs?
Pigs raised in intensive indoor systems (including sow-stall free) don’t have the ability to express natural behaviours, such as foraging and nesting. The close confinement of pigs in indoor systems raises welfare concerns because the lack of freedom and barrenness of their surroundings can lead to stress, injury and abnormal behaviours. To reduce the incidence of tail biting piglets endure painful procedures without anaesthetic, such as having their tails docked and teeth clipped.What happens on an RSPCA Approved pig farm?
What does ‘sow stall free’ mean on pork?
Sow-stall free, while a very positive first step, isn’t always a guarantee of good welfare.In sow-stall free systems, pigs can still be kept in barren environments and sows (mother pigs) can still be confined to farrowing crates (similar to sow stalls) for a couple of weeks at a time to give birth to their piglets.
Sow-stall free is also not a certification scheme, but rather a marketing term. So aspects of pig’s lives will only need to adhere to the legal minimums. Which is why independent certification schemes focused on animal welfare, such as the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme, are key in ensuring good welfare throughout the life of pigs on farm.
What is ‘bred free-range’ or ‘outdoor bred’ pork?
‘Bred free-range’ and ‘outdoor bred’ refer to products from pigs (pork, bacon, ham) that were born in a free-range environment before being raised indoors.The RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme combination (or sometimes it’s called outdoor bred) system requires piglets born outdoors to be raised in eco-shelters once they’ve been weaned. There must be plenty of straw bedding from them to play with and forage in.
Where can I find RSPCA Approved bacon and ham?
Unfortunately, finding higher welfare bacon is really hard right now and finding RSPCA Approved bacon is impossible. Here’s why and what you can do to help.What happens on an RSPCA Approved salmon farm?
Is intensive aquaculture similar to intensive land-based livestock production?
Aquaculture is an alternative to fishing in the wild and accounts for around half of all global fish production. Seafood is the fourth most consumed meat in Australia following poultry, beef and pork. It’s essential that those responsible for managing farmed animals (either on land or in the water) ensure their welfare is an integral part of production. For fish, this includes providing enough space to swim normally in oxygen-rich water, handling fish in a manner that avoids stress, and stunning to ensure unconsciousness at the time of slaughter.Do the RSPCA’s salmon standards address the potential environmental impact of aquaculture systems?
Yes. Aquaculture companies participating in the Scheme in addition to meeting government regulations, must demonstrate ongoing compliance with a recognised, third-party audited certification scheme that promotes best environmental practice. For more information visit the RSPCA KnowledgebaseHow do RSPCA Approved salmon farms protect fish from predators, such as seals?
Maintaining good fish welfare by protecting farmed Atlantic salmon from predators, such as seals and sea birds is critical to the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme standards. Fish are vulnerable to stress, injuries and mortalities as a result of interactions with predators.The RSPCA believes that exclusion measures must be the primary method of preventing seals and sea birds from attacking salmon. The design of pens must be effective in keeping seals out while keeping fish safe. Good pen design greatly reduces the number of instances of seals injuring and killing fish and also prevents seals and birds from becoming trapped inside pens. Find out more
Can salmon from Macquarie Harbour be RSPCA Approved?
Due to the current environmental conditions and risk of poor welfare outcomes for fish, the RSPCA’s standards currently don’t permit, farming of salmon in Macquarie Harbour, Tasmania. This means that any salmon sourced from Macquarie Harbour can’t be labelled as RSPCA Approved. To make sure you’re buying RSPCA Approved salmon, look for the RSPCA Approved logo on pack.Is lamb and beef free range?
Australian lamb and beef products come from animals born and raised outdoors, so yes, they can be called free range.Some sheep and cattle may have been held in feedlots in the last stage of their life to increase their growth rate prior to slaughter and to help ensure consistency in meat quality. This product is sometimes called ‘grain fed’. Read more
Will the Scheme introduce standards for cattle and sheep?
The nature of beef and lamb farming in Australia means that animals generally aren’t affected by the same welfare concerns related to behavioural restriction faced by animals in intense confinement (such as can be experienced by layer hens, pigs, meat chickens, turkeys and ducks). We will look into the feasibility of introducing higher welfare standards for cattle and sheep. In the meantime, as a consumer you can contact the makers of your favourite beef and lamb products and ask them about standards of care for their animals.Are there welfare issues with dairy?
While the majority of Australian dairy cows spend most of the day on green pasture, the RSPCA is concerned about some welfare issues in the dairy industry, including the treatment of bobby calves, mastitis and lameness in cows, calf induction, and calve dehorning.As a consumer, you can contact the makers of your favourite dairy products and ask them about their standards of care for cows and calves. Read more
Why does the RSPCA have standards for dairy calves?
Raising excess dairy calves for veal or beef is one way to increase the value of an animal that would otherwise be considered a by-product and destined for slaughter at five days old. By increasing their value and providing an alternative market, there is real potential to improve the welfare of some of the many hundreds of thousands of calves slaughtered each year.Find out more here about how dairy calf welfare can be improved.
What is veal?
Veal is the meat from young dairy, beef or dairy-cross-beef calves. Male dairy or dairy-cross calves don’t produce milk so they aren’t required in the dairy herd. Dairy or dairy-cross calves that are selected to be raised for veal are usually picked up from the dairy farm where they were born and raised on specialist calf-rearing properties. Similar to lamb, veal calves are slaughtered around 8 months of age with their meat destined for high-value markets that meet veal consumer expectations for taste and tenderness.How can the welfare of bobby calves be improved?
I thought farming veal was inhumane?
Veal crates are not used in Australia. Calves raised for veal or beef usually grow up on specialist calf-rearing properties, where they are reared in groups in sheds (usually with access to the outdoors or pasture) and fed milk or milk replacer and a grain-based ration. The RSPCA’s standards for dairy calves who are reared for veal or beef set a higher level for animal welfare.How are farm animals slaughtered in Australia?
How often are meat chicken abattoirs assessed as part of the Scheme?
The RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme Standard – Meat Chickens sets specific requirements for the transportation, handling, stunning and slaughter of meat chickens. Assessors conduct yearly assessments at abattoirs, where chickens from RSPCA Approved farms are sent for slaughter, to ensure they are meeting these requirements. Included in the standard is the requirement for CCTV in any areas where live birds are handled or processed at abattoirs. CCTV must also be routinely monitored by authorised staff to ensure standards are maintained.How can slaughter be humane?
The RSPCA believes that humane killing is: ‘when an animal is either killed instantly or rendered insensible until death ensues, without pain, suffering or distress’. When killing animals for food (slaughter), this means they must be stunned prior to bleeding out so they immediately become unconscious. Find out more here.Is Halal and Kosher meat humane?
Pre-slaughter stunning is standard practice in the vast majority of Australian abattoirs producing halal-certified meat. But some halal and all kosher slaughter is carried out without prior stunning.The RSPCA is concerned there are much greater risks of an animal suffering during slaughter without stunning. Slaughtering an animal while fully conscious requires additional handling and restraint and means that the animal will experience pain associated with the throat cut and subsequent bleeding out. For these reasons, the RSPCA is strongly opposed to all forms of slaughter that do not involve prior stunning of the animal and has asked governments – state and federal – to remove arrangements that allow unstunned slaughter. Find out more
What brands source from RSPCA Approved farms?
Australians are driving change for some of our country’s most intensively farmed animals, simply through their purchasing decisions. Companies who recognise this and become RSPCA Approved or source RSPCA Approved ingredients are leading the way in improving welfare for millions of farm animals every year.You can see which brands have RSPCA Approved products here.
Where can I see videos of RSPCA Approved farms?
Check out our videos here.Why can’t the RSPCA prosecute farmers for keeping animals in battery cages, sow stalls and farrowing crates?
There are common practices in farming that don’t meet the animals’ behavioural, social or physiological needs however are not illegal. This includes housing hens in battery cages and confining pigs in sow stalls and farrowing crates. Find out more hereThe RSPCA’s standards go above what’s currently allowed under law and ultimately aim to improve the conditions for farm animals by providing an environment where animals can express their natural behaviours. Battery cages, sow stalls and farrowing crates are not allowed on RSPCA Approved farms.
