Animal Welfare and Husbandry
Beginning when George A. Hormel founded the company in 1891, our business has been rooted around animal agriculture. Animal welfare and animal husbandry has always been a top priority at Hormel Foods. This is simply about treating animals humanely because it’s the right thing to do. We take our zero tolerance policy for the inhumane treatment of animals very seriously. Our business is about providing healthy, high quality animals so that we are able to provide consistent, nutritious, value-added products to our customers. We base our animal husbandry practices on the best scientific data available, new technologies and hands-on experience. We are proud to have a consistent and successful animal welfare program.
On page 31 of the full report [PDF], we outline our commitment even further; however, it’s important to note that the pork industry has many excellent programs—all of which we participate in and explain further in this section—established to promote animal well-being, including:
- Swine Welfare Assurance Program (SWAP): On-farm assessment tool that ensures farms comply with animal care guidelines and have good management and production practices
- Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA Plus): A combination of SWAP and Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) programs that addresses food safety and animal welfare, adding on-farm assessments and conducting sample audits for producers
- Take Care Program: Education for producers on the responsible use of antibiotics
- National Pork Board’s Trucker Quality Assurance Program: Required certification for all transporters delivering to a Hormel Foods facility to learn about humane care and handling when transporting animals
Hog Handling
Responsible hog handling begins on the farm, proceeds through transportation and continues once the animals are unloaded at the production plants.
Pork Procurement and Processing
For the Hormel Foods plants in Austin, MN, and Fremont, NE, we purchase 95 percent of the hogs we process from independent, family farmers from across the Midwest. All of the hogs are purchased through the lean pork value table, and we pay a premium for properly sorted, consistent, lean hogs that meet some of the industry’s most stringent requirements. These requirements ensure that hogs purchased by Hormel Foods are healthy, top quality animals and, therefore, have been properly managed and treated well.
We recognize hog producers who exemplify Hormel Foods’ commitment to quality through our Spirit of Excellence Awards, which reward suppliers that consistently meet Hormel Foods’ stringent requirements.
Pork Training and Audits
All producers who sign a contract with us are required to complete a certification program through the National Pork Board that educates producers about the 10 good production practices, including animal welfare. The Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA Plus) —the newest program from the National Pork Board—must be completed by independent and company-owned farms.
In addition, transporters must complete the National Pork Board’s National Trucker Quality Assurance Program. This program was originally developed by Hormel Foods’ employees before being adopted as an industry standard. This training covers the responsible way to treat and handle animals during transportation and delivery.
More information about our hog operations and commitment to animal welfare can be found on page 31 of the full report [PDF].
Turkey Handling
As one of the largest turkey producers in the industry, Jennie-O Turkey Store is fully committed to the humane treatment of its turkeys throughout the production process. Our animal-handling practices are fully consistent with policies set forth by the National Turkey Federation and the American Veterinary Medical Association. The company’s approach is straightforward: establish clear, simple guidelines and closely monitor adherence to those guidelines every step of the way. We minimize the risk of actual damage to the turkey and minimize the stress placed on it as part of our standard operating procedures for animal handling.
Turkey Training and Audits
New employees undergo a thorough training program upon joining the company with the use of videos and still photos to emphasize various aspects of the training. We constantly emphasize guidelines for existing employees through a rigorous auditing process that includes monthly, quarterly and annual inspections. These audits gauge employee compliance with handling procedures, but also ensure basic welfare guidelines are being followed for factors, such as air and water quality, access to food and other criteria.
More information about our turkey operations and commitment to animal welfare can be found on page 33 of the full report [PDF].
Read our animal welfare statement.