Animal Care
More than 2,000 audits were conducted to ensure the accountability of our standards.
2018 Spirit Of Excellence
Since 1891, we have strived to maintain the highest standards for animal welfare and handling throughout our entire supply chain.
We have a commitment to unwavering animal welfare standards and environmental stewardship — not because someone is watching, but because it is the right thing to do.
To verify that our animal welfare requirements are being met, we conduct assessments and audits. In addition, we have several animal welfare committees in place to ensure the accountability of our standards.
Animal Welfare Principles
Our goal is to maintain the highest standards for animal welfare and handling throughout our entire supply chain.
To maintain our standards, we have developed the following principles:
- All farms will provide a balanced and nutritious diet and water.
- A safe and humane environment will be furnished for every animal throughout its life, including minimizing stress, managing social needs and controlling temperature.
- Every facility will be properly maintained with the animals’ well-being in mind, including appropriate facilities and space and the utilization of compassionate, stress-reducing techniques during handling.
- Animals will be raised to be healthy and provided with the best in medical care, including veterinary oversight and the identification of prompt treatment of sick animals. When medically necessary, we use antibiotics responsibly and focus on reducing the use of antibiotics that are important to human health.
- We will follow clearly documented humane procedures in the event an animal needs to be euthanized.
We developed our standards in conjunction with animal care experts, including renowned authorities on humane animal husbandry, to ensure that every animal is raised in a healthy environment and treated with care, respect and compassion throughout its entire life. Our network of family farm suppliers understands and shares these values.
Hormel Foods has a zero-tolerance policy toward the mistreatment of animals through abuse or neglect. We have strict requirements related to animal care, overseen by veterinarians, third-party experts and a team of animal welfare professionals at Hormel Foods.
In addition to these principles, we have additional requirements for hogs and turkeys and our Applegate subsidiary has additional animal care requirements as well. For more information about our animal care and antibiotic stewardship efforts, please visit our corporate website.
Hogs
All hog producers participate in the Hormel Foods Quality Assurance Program. This program certifies them in the proper way to transport and treat animals on their farms. In addition, all farms are subject to third-party audits.
Our annual Spirit of Excellence Awards recognize hog producers that exemplify our commitment to quality at Hormel Foods. In 2018, we recognized three suppliers in the provisions category and 19 suppliers in the procurement category.
Quality assurance and operations personnel perform daily internal audits in our processing facilities to maintain the highest animal care practices. In 2018, two external audits were performed by outside auditors in our processing facilities. Internally, we participated in over 1,100 formal audits, and over 130 audits were conducted by company management at our processing facilities on an unannounced, random basis.
In 2018, we did not have any notices of intended enforcement from the Food Safety and Inspection Service as a result of material noncompliance with laws and regulations related to our transportation, handling and slaughtering practices.
Turkeys
Jennie-O Turkey Store follows the animal welfare guidelines of the National Turkey Federation as the auditing criteria for our hatcheries, grower farms and processing plants. We are proud to consistently score in the highest category.
In 2018, 550 internal audits were conducted by the Jennie-O Turkey Store live production quality assurance department, and over 160 production National Turkey Federation audits were performed by managers and supervisors of live production.
Daily internal audits at Jennie-O Turkey Store processing facilities conducted by quality assurance and operations personnel help maintain the highest animal care practices. Jennie-O Turkey Store participated in nine internal formal audits, and over 80 audits were conducted by company managers at processing facilities on an unannounced, random basis.
In 2018, we did not have any notices of intended enforcement from the Food Safety and Inspection Service as a result of material noncompliance with laws and regulations related to our transportation, handling and slaughtering practices.