News
from Humane Farm Animal Care - For Immediate Release
Contact: Michele Wells, Humane Farm Animal Care (303)
417-0696
Herndon, Va., July 23, 2008 – The Certified Humane Raised and
Handled® label was awarded by the nonprofit Humane Farm Animal
Care to Stickney Hill Dairy, the first dairy in Minnesota to
join the program.
The Certified Humane Raised and Handled label assures
consumers that a meat, poultry, egg or dairy product has been
produced according to Humane Farm Animal Care’s (HFAC) precise
standards for humane farm animal treatment. Animals must receive
a nutritious diet without antibiotics or hormones and must be
raised with shelter, resting areas and space sufficient to
support natural behavior. Since HFAC’s program was unveiled in
May 2003, more than 65 companies, representing hundreds of
farms, have been certified.
Located in Kimball, Minn., in Minnesota’s dairy country,
Stickney Hill operates a goat milk dairy processing facility
that focuses on the production of cheese, butter and milk
powders. Goat milk for the company's products is produced on
five different Midwest family farms, each with a mixed goat herd
of 80 to 180 Alpine, Saanen, Nubian, LaMancha and Oberhasli
breeds.
"We believe in the practices of the Certified Humane program.
Our milk producers are dedicated to treating their animals well,
and this certification is a validation that they follow best
practices," said Cheryl Willenbring, sales coordinator of
Stickney Hill Dairy.
Stickney Hill's cheeses are sold through its retail segment at
Lunds and Byerly’s stores, Kowalski’s Markets, Supertarget
stores, and some of the small food cooperatives in the Twin
Cities area. More information can be found at
www.stickneydairy.com.
HFAC’s Animal Care Standards were developed by a veritable
“Who’s Who” of national and international animal scientists and
farm-animal welfare experts. Producer compliance with the HFAC
standards is verified through annual on-site visits by HFAC’s
third-party inspectors.
HFAC is a national nonprofit organization supported by the
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA),
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), regional and
local animal protection organizations, foundations and
individuals. More information is available at HFAC’s website,
www.certifiedhumane.org.
