All Whole Foods chicken to meet stricter animal welfare guidelines

Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods Market said it supports the enhancement of Global Animal Partnership’s (GAP) standards to require all producers to move away from fast-growth breeds of chicken. GAP, Austin, Texas, announced its intention to require only slower-growing chicken breeds by 2024 for certification for all levels of its 5-Step Rating Program, due to the unresolvable welfare issues inherent in fast-growing breeds of chicken.

“Since 2011, Whole Foods Market has used Global Animal Partnership’s 5-Step Rating system to provide our customers with standards and information around how the animal was raised for the meat they buy,” said Theo Weening, global meat buyer for Whole Foods Market. “Supporting this additional commitment to improve chicken welfare is a step forward in continuing to provide our customers with products of the highest quality and flavor.”