Behind the Label with American Humane Heritage Radio Network

In case you missed this limited series all about what the American Humane certified label really means, you can find all six episodes wherever you listen to podcasts. Plus we're sharing a recap that takes a look back at what the season had in store. We revisit highlights from the show's many guests including: American Humane president Robin Ganzert; American Humane's director of farm program operations, Haley Grimes; animal welfare expert, Dr. Joy Mench; and Springer Mountain Farms' broiler production manager, Ken Martin.

After digging into the history of American Humane, the science behind its farm certification standards, and the details of how Springer Mountain Farms meets those standards day after day, it’s time to look towards the future. In this final episode of Behind the Label with American Humane, President and CEO Robin Ganzert shares her thoughts on how farm animal welfare might change in the coming years and how the organization and its partners like Springer Mountain Farms will continue to advance the cause.

How is American Humane Certified different from other animal welfare labels? Do American Humane Certified farms all use the same production methods? In this episode, Connor Reynolds, the Senior Field Operations Manager at American Humane, answers the most frequently asked questions consumers have when they see the seal on their Springer Mountain Farms chicken.

What do American Humane Certified standards look like in action at an actual broiler farm? In this episode, American Humane president and CEO Robin Ganzert is back, along with Ken Martin, Springer Mountain Farms’ broiler production manager. Martin shares his on-the-ground and in-the-barn perspective on how farmers in Springer Mountain Farms’ network are working to meet the standards on a daily basis and what happy, healthy chickens really look like.

The American Humane Certified standards for farm animals are grounded in scientific research. That starts with the Scientific Advisory Committee, a panel of experts with various specialties, from veterinary science to ruminant nutrition. In this episode, Dr. Joy Mench, an animal welfare expert who is a professor emeritus at UC Davis and has written several textbooks on animal welfare—including specifically on poultry behavior—talks about her work as a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee. American Humane’s director of Farm Program Operations Haley Grimes chimes in to share how the Committee works with the farm operations team to apply the standards.

In March, HRN began producing all of our 35 weekly shows from our homes all around the country. It was hard work stepping away from our little recording studio, but we know that you rely on HRN to share resources and important stories from the world of food each week. It’s been a tough year for all of us, but right now HRN is asking for your help. Every dollar that listeners give to HRN provides essential support to keep our mics on. We've got some fresh new thank you gifts available, like our limited edition bandanas.

Keep Behind the Label on the air: become an HRN Member today! Go to heritageradionetwork.org/donate.

Some farmers are looking for ways to share information about how they treat their animals with their customers. To do that, many turn to American Humane's Farm Program. In this second episode of Behind the Label with American Humane, president and CEO Robin Ganzert and director of Farm Program Operations Haley Grimes walk listeners through the logistics of the certification process that results in a farm achieving American Humane Certified status. They discuss how producers work with the organization to meet the standards, the audits each farm undergoes, and more. In the next few episodes, we'll dig deeper into American Humane's scientific standards for chickens and how Springer Mountain Farms applies those standards.

In March, HRN began producing all of our 35 weekly shows from our homes all around the country. It was hard work stepping away from our little recording studio, but we know that you rely on HRN to share resources and important stories from the world of food each week. It’s been a tough year for all of us, but right now HRN is asking for your help. Every dollar that listeners give to HRN provides essential support to keep our mics on. We've got some fresh new thank you gifts available, like our limited edition bandanas.

Keep Behind the Label on the air: become an HRN Member today! Go to heritageradionetwork.org/donate.