RSPCA Assured Farm Assessments Explained
Farms on the RSPCA Assured scheme are assessed and monitored regularly to ensure all the animals are raised to the RSPCA’s strict higher welfare standards. Our team of experienced assessors makes sure that all farms that supply products bearing our label adhere to our standards.
What is an Assessment?
Members of the RSPCA Assured certification scheme commit to raising their animals to RSPCA welfare standards. These cover every aspect of an animal’s life; from birth to slaughter, including food and water provisions, their environment, handling, healthcare and transportation. To become a member, and to renew the membership each year, farms must be visited and thoroughly checked by trained RSPCA Assured assessors.
These checks are called ‘assessments’ and take place annually to ensure that the farm and the records that log details like staff training and veterinary care are all in order and that the animals are well-cared for.
What Do RSPCA Assured Assessors Do?
Our assessors are highly trained and experienced specialists, most of whom have backgrounds as farmers, working in the food industry, or as animal welfare academics. They work regionally and with species specialisms. We employ a team of around thirty full-time assessors across the UK and also work with freelance specialists to ensure that all our members receive their annual inspections.
What Happens on an Assessment?
Members have, on average, 368 standards per species that they must comply with, so assessments can take up to a few hours to complete. To make sure that someone is on-site when the assessor arrives, we book the assessment in advance. Many of the farms are in quite remote locations, so this saves on wasted travel time.
On assessment days, the RSPCA Assured assessor will arrive at the farm gate as scheduled and ensure that the site representative understands the purpose and process of the assessment and the potential consequences of any issues being observed.
Before they step foot on the farm, they also observe many biosecurity measures to protect the animals from disease. Once everything is ready, the assessor and the farmer tour the farm together, looking at the animals, buildings, equipment and all records.
What Happens on a Farm Assessment?
Arrive on farm
- The assessor puts on and disinfects personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect the animals from disease.
Check the animals
- Do they have easy access to plenty of clean food and water?
- Do they have enough space to move around freely?
- Are they moving around and interacting with one another? And do they seem healthy?
- Do they have access to environmental enrichment like perches for chickens or brushes for cows to scratch against?
Check the farm environment
- Do the animals have adequate outside shade and shelter (if free-range) to protect them from the weather and from predators?
- Is there anything in the environment that could cause illness or injury?
- Is the housing clean and dry, with dry bedding?
- Is the environment well-lit and at an appropriate temperature?
Check the records
- The assessor then checks the farm's paperwork to make sure everything is up to date, including:
- Staff training in animal handling
- Veterinary records
- Daily welfare check records
Make a report
Finally, the assessor discusses the outcome of the assessment with the farmer and leaves a copy of their report with them.