Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch Awarded Animal Welfare Grant by Animal Welfare Approved

Online, May 9, 2013 (Newswire.com) - Animal Welfare Approved announced the 2012-2013 Good Husbandry Grants which help promote sustainable, forward thinking farming techniques and Sylvan Dale Ranch was among the 42 grants that have been awarded to farms and slaughter plants across the nation. The grants are intended to improve animal welfare and allow pasture-based farmers to increase productivity for their operations. This is the fifth year of the program.

In announcing this year's grants, Program Director Andrew Gunther remarked, "More and more farmers are transitioning from industrial agriculture to high-welfare, pasture-based farming and our program provides a pathway for that transition. Our grants give farmers the creativity to try new ideas without betting the farm, which we think is crucial to the widespread adoption of sustainable agriculture practices."

The funding priorities for this year's cycle included welfare improvements in the slaughter process, improved genetics, increased outdoor access, and non-lethal predator control.

A primary goal of this grant program is to facilitate the growth and success of high-welfare, pasture-based systems. Gunther explains, "The biggest challenge in agriculture right now is getting animals outside. The science tells us that when farm animals are responsibly managed on open pasture or range, the challenges inherent in industrial agriculture simply disappear. This ultimately leads to more nutritious, healthier products."

More information about the Animal Welfare Approved Good Husbandry Grants, including profiles of past grants, is available at www.animalwelfareapproved.org/farmers/grants-for-farmers/. Stay informed about grant opportunities by signing up for the AWA mailing list at www.AnimalWelfareApproved.org.

About Animal Welfare Approved :

Animal Welfare Approved audits, certifies and supports farmers raising their animals according to the highest welfare standards, outdoors on pasture or range. Called a "badge of honor for farmers" and the "gold standard," AWA is the most highly regarded food label in North America when it comes to animal welfare, pasture-based farming, and sustainability. All AWA standards, policies and procedures are available on the AWA website, making it the most transparent certification available.

Animal Welfare Approved's Online Directory of AWA farms, restaurants and products enables the public to search for AWA farms, restaurants and products by zip code, keywords, products and type of establishment. In addition, AWA has published Food Labeling for Dummies, a regularly updated guide to commonly used food claims and terms, available free for download at www.AnimalWelfareApproved.org.

More information about Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch's grass-fed/finished Heart-J Beef can be found at HeartJBeef.com or http://www.sylvandale.com/grass-fed-and-finished-natural-beef.html