WSPA and GRA Promote Higher Animal Welfare Standards in Restaurants

Groups encourage switching to humanely-raised animal products as a way to achieve environmental sustainability

BOSTON, May 24, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following discussions with the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), the Green Restaurant Association (GRA) has changed its "Sustainable Food" requirements so that restaurants must now purchase a portion of their meat, egg and dairy products from humane farms.

GRA – which awards certification to restaurants that display environmental responsibility in each of seven categories – now requires food business to purchase products labeled as "Cage Free," "Pasture Raised," "USDA Organic," "Animal Welfare Approved" or "Certified Humane." These labels indicate that the animals were not raised on factory farms, which use "production line" methods to raise farm animals.

"Factory farming is the greatest source of animal suffering in the world today and also contributes to a broad range of environmental issues," said Sharanya Prasad, U.S. Programs Manager at WSPA. "GRA's move today sends an important message to the food service industry, that buying humanely-raised animal products is an important part of achieving environmental sustainability. We applaud and support their efforts."

"The food service industry is in a unique position to lessen many of the harmful effects of negative practices such as factory farming," added Michael Oshman, President at GRA. "By working with WSPA, we can further our mission to help restaurants support more sustainable methods."

For more information on WSPA's work on farm animal welfare, please visit our main site and www.EatHumane.org.  

About the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA)

The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) is the world's largest alliance of animal welfare organizations, currently representing more than 1,000 member societies in more than 150 countries. WSPA strives to create a world where animal welfare matters and animal cruelty ends. WSPA brings about change at both grassroots and government levels to benefit animals, and has consultative status at the Council of Europe and the United Nations. For more information, visit our website, follow us on Twitter and "Like" our Facebook page.

Notes to the Editor:

1. According to the Worldwatch Institute, livestock and their byproducts account for at least 51 percent of annual worldwide human-caused greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions – http://www.worldwatch.org/node/6294

SOURCE World Society for the Protection of Animals