When fast-food giant McDonald's Corp. required all of its beef suppliers to pass an animal welfare audit in 1998, it began a new era in the objective measurement of humane handling as a requirement to do business. Since that time, certification programs aimed at improving the humane treatment of food animals have grown. Some companies are seeing that marketing progressive animal welfare programs is a strategic advantage. The newest certification is the "Temple Grandin Responsible Cattle Care Program." Introduced in June of this year, it's a collaboration between Food Safety Net Services and noted animal welfare expert Temple Grandin, Ph.D. The catalyst for the audit is Grandin's 2017 article in the Journal of Meat Science, "On-farm conditions that compromise animal welfare that can be monitored at the slaughter plant."
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