In the 25 years that we’ve been running the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme, we’ve seen forward-thinking brands show leadership and commitment to a future of higher welfare farming. These brands have embraced the opportunity to be part of the Scheme and have adopted the RSPCA Standards into their farming practices first, leading the way for others. Today, these brands continue to show their dedication to the Scheme and farm animal welfare.
Rohde’s Free Range Eggs
Second generation farmers, John and Ange Rohde were early adopters of the RSPCA Standard and have participated in the Scheme for over 15 years! As demand has grown for eggs that are farmed in a way that gives hens a better quality of life, so too has the Rohde family farm. More than 70,000 hens roam their free-range farm in SA’s Clare Valley. Hen welfare is core to their business with the RSPCA Approved certification providing the third-party guarantee their customers are looking for.
‘Our mission is to produce tasty and ethically farmed eggs from the happiest chickens. Being an RSPCA Approved farm for over 15 years highlights the importance we place on animal welfare and also ensures our standards are the best in the industry.’ – John and Ange Rohde
Freedom Farms
Cordina Farms is the oldest poultry processor in Australia and is behind many innovative milestones that have changed the industry. Cordina was the first to launch the market in Australia and offer customers fresh chicken. It was also the first to offer fresh value-added poultry products. In 2011, Cordina was also an early adopter of the RSPCA Standard for meat chickens, offering customers a range of higher welfare RSPCA Approved chicken products through their Freedom Farms brand.
After 65 years in the poultry business, their commitment to animal welfare and sustainable farming practices is evident. On their farms alone, they have made sure millions of birds have been farmed in an environment that meets their needs, through their participation in the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme.
‘When we launched our Freedom Farms brand in 2011, the concept behind this brand was to create affordable, higher welfare chicken that stands for truth and honesty in farming by communicating the real facts on how our chickens are grown.
For this reason, we decided to work with the RSPCA, a fantastic co-advocate to ensure there are real and tangible welfare benefits for our Freedom Farmed chickens and not the fluffy marketing spin!
Our Freedom Farms’ higher welfare model exclusively uses traditional style barns, filled with natural sunlight. The Approved Farming Scheme and our brand vision are perfectly aligned, hence why we are delighted to have participated in the Scheme for a decade.’ – Jeremy Clegg
Huon Salmon
From the moment the RSPCA Standard for farmed Atlantic salmon was released, Huon Aquaculture worked to become Australia’s first RSPCA Approved salmon producer. This commitment stems from fish welfare and health being the centre of their farming operations. To this day they remain the only producer meeting the RSPCA Standard for farmed Atlantic salmon.
Peter and Frances Bender started farming fish in the 1980s and today farm 5.5 million salmon annually to the RSPCA Standard. Over the past several years as salmon consumption has increased, so has the desire for consumers to know more about the salmon they are eating and that it has been farmed to higher animal welfare standards.
‘Huon Aquaculture works with the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme because it has an unparalleled focus on fish welfare — just like we do. When purchasing and eating Huon Salmon, people can be assured that fish have been farmed in a way that meets their behavioural and health needs.’ – Frances Bender
Leading the way
We’re proud of our work encouraging food companies and brands to support a better future for Australia’s farm animals. Currently, 36 brands source RSPCA Approved products, and altogether more than 1,000 products are available with the RSPCA Approved certification. We’ll be sharing more stories of brands that are making waves in the ethical sourcing space, over the next few weeks.
In the meantime, take a look at the journey we’ve been on for the past 25 years and the impact the Scheme is having on Australian farm animals. All of which has only been possible because caring Australians, support a future of higher welfare by choosing RSPCA Approved.
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