Tyson Foods announced that its FarmCheck Program for broiler chickens has received certification from the Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization (PAACO).

The FarmCheck program is a third-party animal welfare auditing program that ensures that livestock and poultry suppliers for Tyson are evaluated and monitored for important animal welfare criteria, including housing and environment, proper human/animal interaction, transportation and harvest processes. The FarmCheck broiler audit program was reviewed by a third-party review team and certified in meeting or exceeding PAACO standards for animal welfare audits.

“Tyson Foods has always been committed to animal welfare, and our ongoing partnership is an essential piece of the company’s FarmCheck Program,” PAACO executive director Collette Kaster said. “We continue to work together to find new ways to add more assurances to our joint commitment to improved animal welfare practices.”

Dr. Karen Christensen, senior director of animal welfare for Tyson, said, “For more than seven years, our FarmCheck Program has been successful in evaluating our supplier farms to make sure animals are well cared for and our team members are properly trained to handle and interact with our broilers.”

She added, “It’s a significant milestone that our broiler audits will now be backed by the credibility and authority of PAACO.”

Tyson utilizes the Common Swine Industry Audit for its FarmCheck hog auditing program, which was certified by PAACO in 2014. Additionally, since 2017, all FarmCheck program auditors have been required to be PAACO certified, which involves on-site training, along with hands-on learning and a comprehensive exam. The company said it is diligently working to expand its certifications across all species to promote humane treatment of livestock throughout its supply chain.