Global Animal Partnership

The Global Animal Partnership (G.A.P.) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to improving the welfare of farm animals. Founded in 2008, it was originally envisioned by John Mackey, then CEO of Whole Foods Market, as a framework to support farmers in enhancing animal welfare and to reward improvements in these practices.

Mission

G.A.P.'s mission is to change the way animals are raised for food by promoting better living conditions and handling practices. This involves creating comprehensive animal welfare standards and working with third-party auditors to certify farms and processing facilities that meet these standards. Their tiered labeling system encourages continuous improvement in animal care, with higher step numbers indicating conditions more closely mimicking natural environments.

Key Standards

• Space and Environment: Animals are provided with more space and a safe, enriched environment.
• Diet: A healthy, vegetarian diet with no animal by-products.
• Outdoor Access: Animals have access to pasture or outdoors (for steps 3 and above) [1][2][4].

Impact

Since its inception, G.A.P. has made significant strides in advancing farm animal welfare. This includes shifting farm practices, such as moving cattle from feedlots to pastures for finishing. Additionally, G.A.P. has developed standards for pullets (young laying hens), supporting cage-free systems, and has initiated projects to create standards for dairy cattle and farmed salmon [3].

Operations

G.A.P. operates across multiple countries, with a wide reach of certified products and outlets. The organization supports continuous improvement in animal welfare through education, technology, and outreach to partner farms. Funding is essential to these efforts, with donations supporting the development of additional welfare standards and partner engagement [5].

G.A.P.'s certification is transparent, with every farm audited by third-party certifiers, unlike some other certifications that may only audit a sample of farms. This ensures a high level of accountability and commitment to animal welfare [2].