Animal Agriculture Alliance (Alliance) is an industry-united, nonprofit organization that helps bridge the communication gap between farm and fork. Their mission is to 1) connect key food industry stakeholders to arm them with responses to emerging issues; 2)engage food chain influencers and promote consumer choice by helping them better understand modern animal agriculture; and 3) protect by exposing those who threaten the nation’s food security with misinformation.
Contents
The Alliance hosts an annual Stakeholders Summit which brings together industry leaders to discuss upcoming issues and opportunities facing animal agriculture.
Kay Johnson-Smith currently serves as president and CEO. The communications director is Hannah Thompson.
Funding
Organized as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt national organization, the Alliance is supported by membership dues as well as contributions from agricultural organizations and allied industries.
History
The Animal Agriculture Alliance (Alliance) was founded in 1987, making it the oldest, broadest coalition of individual farmers, ranchers, producer organizations, suppliers, packer-processors, scientists, veterinarians and retailers.
The Animal Industry Foundation was originally founded as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established to educate consumers about U.S. animal agriculture and its contributions to the public's quality of life. In 2001, the organization formally became known as the Animal Agriculture Alliance.
The Alliance operates with a Board of Directors, composed of leaders from across the science-based agriculture industry.
Animal Welfare
The Alliance advocates for proper “animal welfare,” not “animal rights.” They help consumers better understand the role animal agriculture plays in providing a safe, abundant food supply to a growing world. By speaking with a common voice, the Alliance ensures that consistent, science-based messages are communicated to the public. To promote animal well-being and produce animal food products of the highest quality, the Alliance recommends adherence to Animal Care Principles that are outlined by each species group individually.
Antibiotics
The Alliance supports the responsible use of antibiotics by producers in order to maintain the health of their animals and to continue to provide the American consumer with a high-quality source of protein. According to a recent report issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the largest antibiotic resistance threats are not connected to the use of antibiotics to keep food animals healthy.
Sustainability
The Alliance provides information and resources about what they deem sustainability is and how the animal agriculture industry ensures continuous improvement in efficient use of natural resources while caring for the land, air, water and wildlife; and producing safe, abundant food to nourish the growing population.
Diet
The Alliance promotes the eating of meat in moderation as part of a healthy diet.