The ACCC is inviting interested parties to comment on the Humane Farm Animal Care’s application to register a certification trademark (CTM) in Australia.
The CTM intends to certify that animal derived products bearing the mark have complied with a range of Humane Farm Animal Care’s livestock and poultry welfare standards. The mark bears the words ‘CERTIFIED HUMANE’ and is illustrated below.
Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC) states in its application that its purpose ‘is to improve the welfare of farm animals by providing viable, credible, duly monitored standards for humane food production and ensuring consumers that certified products meet these standards.’ HFAC was established in the USA, and has operated there for some time.
The ACCC invites views on any aspect of the application, including whether the HFAC CTM and associated rules are likely to raise any competition concerns or may result in consumers being misled. In particular, the ACCC is interested in views on whether the various farm animal welfare standards contained in the rules would ensure that animals are treated in a way that is consistent with Australian consumers’ reasonable expectations of ‘humane’ food production.
Submissions are due by Friday, 30 August 2019, and should be emailed to CTMs@accc.gov.au.
Click here for more details on HFAC’s application.