Shoppers urged to celebrate St Davids Day by backing higher welfare farmers in Wales

RSPCA Assured is urging shoppers to support the work of higher welfare farmers in Wales who helped more than 2.6 million farmed animals live better lives last year.

The charity - which runs the only food assurance label solely dedicated to farmed animal welfare - has nearly 280 members in Wales, all of which follow strict higher welfare standards.

Charlotte Thomas, RSPCA Assured assessment manager for Wales, said: “St David’s Day is a chance for us to take pride in the dedication of RSPCA Assured members who are committed to giving farmed animals a better life.

“To become an RSPCA Assured member, farms must follow hundreds of higher welfare standards every single day. These ensure animals are cared for properly throughout their lives - we don’t allow cages or crates and animals must have plenty of room to move, perform normal behaviours and enjoy a healthy diet.

“Members are assessed every year to make sure these higher standards are met, and we carry out a check on a farm in Wales nearly every working day of the year.

“We hope this St David’s Day will inspire more people to support higher welfare farming in Wales by looking for the RSPCA Assured label if they choose to buy meat, fish, eggs or dairy products.”

RSPCA Assured is the UK’s only farm assurance and food label solely dedicated to improving farmed animal welfare.

Both indoor and outdoor farms – including free-range and organic – can be RSPCA Assured members, as long as the RSPCA’s strict welfare standards are met.

To find supermarkets and foodservice providers stocking RSPCA Assured certified higher welfare products, visit www.rspcaassured.org.uk/supermarkets.