Barossa Fine Foods sources RSPCA Approved chicken and free range RSPCA Approved pork for a select range of products sold exclusively at Woolworths. This means that they source from trusted farms with the RSPCA Approved certification; farms that provide their animals with enriched environments that meet their needs.
For meat chickens this means perches, which encourage activity and increase leg health, and quality dry litter in which they can peck, scratch and dust bathe – as well as much more (in fact, there are more than 400 separate requirements under the RSPCA Approved Standard for meat chickens). Meat chicken farms with the RSPCA Approved certification are assessed 2-4 times a year by specially trained RSPCA Assessors, with abattoirs assessed annually.
Pigs on a free-range farm with RSPCA Approved certification have access to the outdoors all year round where they can perform natural behaviours like wallowing, foraging and exploring. These pigs are also provided with bedding and enrichment, which is especially important for sows (mother pigs) so they can build a nest for their young. Pig farms with the RSPCA Approved certification are assessed twice a year, with abattoirs assessed annually.
Look out for the RSPCA Approved certification on Barossa Fine Food products in select Woolworths stores nationally.
You might also be interested in Small Batch making their mark with RSPCA Approved chicken or One Year On: McDonald’s Australia
2 Comments
2 responses to “Barossa Fine Foods – Bringing you RSPCA Approved small goods ”
Good Morning, Iwould like to know of any pig farmers where the pigs are humanely killed. I have seen lots of footage of the gas chambers and cannot buy pork that has been slaughtered this way. Thank you
Hi Kristene,
Thank you for your compassion towards pigs and your concern for higher welfare conditions for these animals.
The RSPCA shares concerns about the use of CO2 stunning for pigs. You can read our statement on this topic here: RSPCA calls again for pig industry action to improve stunning
The RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme exists to provide better welfare for farm animals, using science and evidence informed standards to improve the lives of farm animals from birth to slaughter. RSPCA Approved certification is guided by a very strict set of Standards with an average of 370 requirements that producers must meet to be certified under the scheme.
Stunning prior to slaughter is legally required in Australia. The purpose of stunning is to ensure an animal is unconscious and unable to experience pain, suffering or distress before slaughter. There are two commercial pig stunning methods available in Australia: electrical stunning and exposure to high concentrations of CO2 gas. In contrast to electrical stunning, stunning with CO2 gas allows pigs to be stunned in groups, with minimal restraint, less handling, and therefore less stress before stunning. However, there are welfare issues with CO2 gas stunning at the point of stun, including: inhaling CO2 is unpleasant, painful; variability between pigs’ responses to CO2; pigs are not rendered immediately unconscious; and inhaling high concentrations of CO2 causes pain and difficulty breathing.
The RSPCA engages with the pig industry and government to push for higher animal welfare standards, including currently through the review of Australian Standards & Guidelines for the welfare of livestock at slaughtering establishments. We continue to highlight the critical need for investment in research to develop stunning systems that retain the welfare benefit of group handling and minimal restraint of pigs while avoiding negative animal welfare impacts.