Learn more about
certifying your farm
SPCA Certified is a food-labeling program that gives consumers assurance that the food they purchase comes from Canadian farms that raise farm animals to a higher set of standards.
SPCA Certified farms are visited at least once a year by a trained, independent auditor who inspects the farm to the SPCA Certified animal welfare standards. A separate panel of independent experts decides if the farm meets the requirements for certification. Certifications include:
Beef cattle // Dairy cattle // Sheep // Pigs // Turkeys // Broiler chickens // Egg-laying hens
Products from certified farms are clearly marked with the “little red barn” logo (pictured above) for easy identification on store shelves.
SPCA Certified standards
SPCA Certified farmers raise the bar with their promise that:
- Egg-laying hens are free from cages
- Pregnant pigs are free from confinement in gestation stalls and farrowing crates
- Painful practices like dehorning, mulesing (sheep) and toe clipping (poultry) are prohibited
- Pain medication is used for necessary farming practices that cause pain
- Animal environments are designed to promote comfort, positive natural behaviours and healthy social interactions
- Animals are not fed antibiotics or hormones for growth enhancement
- Sick and injured animals receive immediate medical attention and follow-up
- Lameness (inability to walk properly) in farm animals is assessed and immediately addressed
Compare SPCA Certified to conventional farming practices
Learn more about how farm animals are commonly raised in Canada, and how these conventional farming practices measure up to SPCA Certified standards.
- Compare SPCA Certified to organic and conventional farming practices (PDF)
- Compare certifications for eggs (PDF)
- Get the specifics on dairy farming certifications (PDF)
Where to buy SPCA Certified products
Look for the “red barn” label on your food products to be sure you are supporting Canadian farmers who are working to change the way your food is raised.
- Check out our interactive map of retail locations where SPCA Certified products are sold
- Meet our SPCA Certified farmers
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