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Sustainability Standard for Livestock Operations
Food Alliance provides a sustainability standard which livestock producers may use to evaluate management practices, measure social and environmental performance, or seek voluntary third-party certification.
What does the Standard Cover?
- healthy and humane animal treatment with no added growth promotants or sub-therapeutic antibiotics,
- soil and water conservation,
- integrated pest, disease and weed management,
- pesticide risk reduction,
- wildlife habitat and biodiversity conservation,
- safe and fair working conditions.
To Whom Does the Standard Apply?
The standard applies to all North American beef cattle, bison, sheep, goat, and poultry production systems, including egg production, dairies, and grassfed ruminant operations. At this time, the standard does not apply to sheep or goat dairies.
Where can I read the Standard?
- The FA Sustainability Standard for Livestock Operations (PDF) provides a comprehensive definition to help livestock farmers and ranchers achieve greater sustainability outcomes.
- The FA Sustainability Evaluation Tool for Livestock Operations describes criteria and indicators to assess sustainability practices and outcomes. The Evaluation Tool has two purposes:
- Growers may use the Evaluation Tool to assess current management practices and sustainability performance.
- Third-party inspectors will use the Evaluation Tool to determine if an operation meets the requirements of the FA Sustainability Certification program.
Sustainability Certification
Food Alliance certification provides a trusted and independent third-party audit process for certifying socially and environmentally responsible management practices on farms, ranches, dairies, and other livestock production operations.
With certification, operations that grow and handle livestock, meat and dairy products are licensed to use the Food Alliance Certified ecolabel on qualified products. This comprehensive, supply chain-based approach to certification means Food Alliance Certified products meet high standards for social and environmental responsibility.
Learn about the certification process for livestock producers.
