Finding cruelty-free foods

Have you ever wondered what’s behind that cute logo with the little red farm that’s on such products as eggs from Rabbit River Farms or fromage frais from Little Qualicum Cheeseworks? It means that through its SPCA Certified program, the BC Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has made it easier for consumers to choose ethically produced local cheese, meat and eggs.

Participating farms can qualify for certification only if their animals have been raised to strict animal welfare standards developed by the BC-SPCA. That means, for example, that dairy cows must have access to a pasture or an outdoor paddock, and egg-laying hens can’t be corralled in battery cages.
 

Craig Naherniak, general manager of humane education for the BC-SPCA, says increasing the program’s impact is “a chicken and egg thing”: consumers need to be educated so they can demand the logo, then retailers and restaurants will demand it from their suppliers.