Shop With Your Heart Brand List

Animal Welfare Approved

Guarantees animals are raised outdoors on pasture or range for their entire lives on an independent farm using sustainable, higher-welfare practices. Every farm is audited. Slaughter plants must also be formally approved by AWA. While AWA products are increasingly available in national supermarkets, they are mostly sold in co-ops, specialty grocers, farmers markets and direct from farms.

Global Animal Partnership (GAP) Step 2+

Guarantees animals are never in cages, crates or extremely crowded conditions as a key standard of Step 1 with each successive step representing progressively higher welfare to pasture based farming. The ASPCA recommends the GAP program at Step 2 and above. Every farm is audited, with audits scheduled to check animals in different seasons. Widely available at Whole Foods Market—as they require GAP certification for most meat products—as well as other supermarkets. Certain brands may only carry the GAP certification when sold at Whole Foods—we do not list those products here.

Step 1: No cages, crates or crowding

Step 2: Enriched indoor environment

Step 3: Enhanced outdoor access

Step 4: Pasture centered

Step 5: Feedlots prohibited, no physical alterations

Step 5+ Entire life on same farm

When a product shows the basic GAP label without a number, look for separate language on the package identifying the product's step level.

Certified Humane (CH)

Animals are never confined to battery cages, gestation crates or tie stalls. Continuous outdoor access required for ruminants, but not birds and pigs (unless the words “free range” or “pasture” also appear on the package). Animals must be given space and enrichment to support their natural behaviors. There is not a guarantee that all farms are audited if a producer group auditing structure is used. Widely available in major retail stores.