Around 14 million farmed animals living better lives thanks to farmers in Ireland and Northern Ireland

RSPCA Assured is urging shoppers to support the work of higher welfare farmers in Ireland and Northern Ireland who helped around 14 million farmed animals live better lives last year.

The charity is the only farm assurance and food label dedicated to farmed animal welfare, and has more than 650 members in Northern Ireland and almost 100 in Ireland.

Members must follow strict higher welfare standards, which positively impacted the lives of an estimated 12.4 million farmed animals in Northern Ireland and 1.6 million in Ireland last year.

“St Patrick’s Day is an opportunity for us to reflect on the commitment of our dedicated RSPCA Assured members across Ireland and Northern Ireland who have helped give millions of farmed animals a better life,” says Ernie Lee, RSPCA Assured assessment manager for the island of Ireland.

“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 checked at least every 12 months to make sure the RSPCA’s higher welfare standards are met, and we carry out around three assessments every working day across Ireland and Northern Ireland.

“We hope this St Patrick’s Day will encourage more shoppers to support higher welfare farming in Ireland and Northern Ireland 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 farmed animal welfare assurance solely dedicated to improving farmed animal welfare. Find supermarkets and foodservice providers stocking RSPCA Assured certified higher welfare products.