67 Percent Would Pay More for “Humanely Raised” Meat

A new online survey of 1,000 American consumers by The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty found that 67 percent would pay a premium price for meat, dairy, or eggs from animals raised in more humane conditions. However, most respondents did not understand what such labels as “cage-free,” “free-range,” and “grass fed” mean in terms of how farmed animals are treated, and many assumed their living conditions to be much better than they actually are. According to Daisy Freund, director of the ASPCA’s Farm Animal Welfare Program, “consumers are willing to pay for more humane options but need help understanding which labels provide meaningful welfare improvements for farm animals.”