HERNDON, Va., June 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC), the leading international non-profit certification organization improving the lives of millions of farm animals in food production, announced this week that Hawaii Lowline Cattle Company is the newest farm to become Certified Humane Raised and Handled® program.
Located on 400 acres in Honokaa, Hawaii, Hawaii Lowline Cattle Company was started by Rick and Haleakala Sakata and Dwayne and Tammie Cypriano, in 2005. The two families run every aspect of the farm, from farm animal care to administrative and marketing duties.
The family’s wanted to advance Hawaii’s food self-sufficiency by building a herd of Lowline Angus cattle on their ranch. Originating in Australia, Lowlines are Angus beef cattle that are only about half the typical “Angus” size. Their farm raises the only registered Lowlines in the state of Hawaii.
“Two Lowlines can use the pasture space of one of today’s larger breeds, providing more beef per acre of grass and making the land more productive,” said Sakata. “That’s very important on an island with limited pasture space. The bulls and cows are out on the farm’s grass pastures all year-round, eating a natural diet of grass and forage. ”
“Becoming Certified Humane® was a natural next step to our Grassfed approach,” said Sakata. “Their standards align with our beliefs and practices and assures the consumer of our commitment to animal welfare.”
According to Adele Douglass, executive director for HFAC, Hawaii Lowline Cattle Company passed all of the Certified Humane® qualifications and can now use the Certified Humane® label on their products. The Certified Humane® label assures consumers that farm animals are raised where they can express their natural behaviors and move around freely, and without the use of antibiotics, growth hormones or animal by-products.
Endorsed by 66 humane organizations, the Certified Humane Raised and Handled® program is nationally recognized as the Gold Standard for certifying animal welfare from birth through slaughter. Producer compliance with the HFAC standards is verified through on-site visits by HFAC’s third-party inspectors.
To learn more about Hawaii Lowline Cattle Company, visit Hawaii Lowline Cattle Company.
To find a store near you that sells Certified Humane® products, visit our Where to Shop page or download Certified Humane’s free mobile App. For more information on HFAC and the Certified Humane® label, visit www.certifiedhumane.org.
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