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What is A Greener World’s Animal Welfare Certification?

Certified Animal Welfare Approved by A Greener World (AGW) is an independent third-party certification that verifies animals are raised according to high-welfare, pasture- and range-based standards—with care for both animals and the environment.

This is not a “checkbox” label, no rubber stamp. The path to certification is intentionally rigorous – that was why I chose it. I was looking for something that would not only give my community a real, tangible and provable track record, I wanted a process that was hands-on, engaging and gave me a chance to learn in a field that is constantly evolving.

It starts with an application – we made ours in the dying days of Winter back in 2021. It took 50 pages of documentation, three phone interviews, two meetings with the referral board and one on-site, four-hour initial audit. It was in no way a “sure thing.” On-going annual certification is maintained through those audits, and AGW auditors – Charlie, for us – assess and re-assess not only animal condition, but also housing, handling practices, records, and the overall quality of the animals’ environment.

Why animal welfare matters (for land and fibre)

I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. I get a lot – like, a LOT – of blowback from other folks in the agricultural sector. Some people bristle at the idea that anyone should have a say in the way they run things on their farm. Some are put off by the extra work the initial application requires. . . No doubt about it, it’s a lot. I am often challenged with the notion that I’m in some way a traitor to my farming friends and neighbours, as though our certification was a tacit condemnation of agriculture overall (true confession – this is not entirely without merit.) There is quite a lot of “compared to what’s happening in X,Y,Z, we’re saints!” which, while perhaps not without some truth, is not a defence – that’s like the excuse I’d use when some casual schoolyard profanity had reached my mother’s ears. . . Just because I could have used nastier words was no excuse for the words I did choose. The soap came out, regardless.

In my mind, animal welfare isn’t separate from land stewardship—it’s inseparable from it. Systems that prioritize welfare tend to prioritize appropriate stocking density, access to pasture, clean water, shelter, and low-stress handling, which in turn supports healthier soils, stronger plant communities, and more resilient grazing ecosystems. Well-managed pasture-based systems are widely associated with benefits such as improved soil function and biodiversity outcomes.

And for fibre producers, welfare matters directly: research shows that stress can negatively affect wool growth and quality traits, including fibre diameter and strength. Better welfare supports healthier animals—which supports better fleeces.

Why transparency is essential

Welfare issues do exist in modern livestock production—this has been clearly demonstrated through public investigations and exposés in multiple sectors. That reality is exactly why proactive transparency matters. Instead of asking consumers to “just trust us,” AGW certification provides something stronger: independent verification, backed by published standards and real audits.

In a world where trust has been shaken, certification is how responsible farms show their work—openly, consistently, and with integrity.

This is a Living post, a post to share my thought processes, where my priorities lie and the philosophy that underpins our activities here at the homestead. It is not a how-to, “expert advice” or meant to reflect a wider experience than just my own, on my farm, here with my sheep.