249: Andrew Gunther on Humanely Raised Farm Animals.
Labeling for meats to show how the animal was cared for and prepped for consumption.
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Andrew is the Executive Director of A Greener World where he spearheaded the growth and development of the “Animal Welfare Approved,” or AWA, certification into what Consumer Reports calls the only “highly meaningful” food label for farm animal welfare, outdoor access, and sustainability.
Andrew works to increase the availability of Certified AWA meat, dairy and eggs in traditional retail settings. He is currently a member of the U.S. delegation for the International Standardization Organization who is responsible for development of standards related to Animal Welfare.Don’t miss an episode! Click here to sign up for weekly podcast updates
In This Podcast:
We learn about how the way an animal is raised can make a difference, not only in the taste, but in how healthy the meat is for us as consumers. Andrew Gunther explains why it is important to know this distinction and how to recognize it when making your buying selection at the store.
Listen in and learn about:
- What lead him to this focus on helping people remember or learn where their food is coming from
- The definition of “natural” according to the USDA
- What AGreenerWorld is working to educate the consumers about
- Why not all beef is bad and not all vegetables are good, and vice versa
- Healthy meat protein as part of a healthy diet
- How the farms are certified
- How they believe farmers are the custodians of the country
- What an AWA label means for the consumer
- How the slaughter process is monitored for the AWA certification
- His team of people working to make this certification successful
- Getting it done because they decided it needed to be done (Greg calls this Epic!)
- Their vision for the future
- How to find an AWA product
- The labeling guide including some labels that are useless
- The three kinds of certifications that A Greener World produces
- The Animal Welfare Approved certification and its goals and benefits
- More about how e-coli can be avoided
- The Grassfed certification and its goals and benefits
- And the Non-GMO certification and how this is made available to farmers
As well as:
- His failure – Coming to the US to work for a retailer and trying to change the world from the inside
- His success – His family – his wife and two boys
- His drive – He believes we can make a difference, to be as good as he can be, and to learn
- His Epic moment – His visit to an Arapaho family’s farm in Thermopolis, Wyoming
- His advice – Spend as much time at looking at how your food is produced as you would to buy a new car or book a vacation
Blog written by Andrew:
Andrew’s Book recommendations:
Diseases of Poultry
How to reach Andrew:
Website: www.AGreenerWorld.org
UrbanFarm.org/AGreenerWorld
