The first Asia Good Farm Animal Welfare Awards ceremony was held in Thailand last month and a Thai company was among the winners, as Thai animal farmers have been adopting more humane methods of raising animals for food consumption.

The awards and the event were organized by Compassion in World Farming, an animal welfare organization founded half a century ago by an English dairy farmer, which engages in lobbying and advocacy for better treatment of farm animals.

Farming and agriculture are one of the foundations of Thailand’s economy and society. The Kingdom is a major producer and exporter of chickens and pigs for food, aside from non-animal farming for rice, sugar and other commodities.

During the past century, the global food industry has come to be dominated by large-scale “factory farms.” The conditions on factory farms are a far cry from the idyllic images of the small rural farmer of storybooks. Animals are crammed into tiny cages and have antibiotics and other chemicals pumped into them to prevent outbreaks of diseases that are common in such overcrowded conditions.

As time has gone by and more consumers have become aware of those conditions, calls for change have been slowly mounting. The organization said that the Asia Good Farm Animal Welfare Awards are a chance to “recognize food companies from the region that are making strides towards improved animal welfare across their supply chains through their current policies or commitments. And to inspire others to do the same.”

Among the winners was Klong Phai Farm, the first Thai-based company to win the Good Chicken Award. Klong Phai Farm sources only free-range chicken and pays its farmers more than the usual market rates. According to its website, Klong Phai Farm in Khao Yai raises free-range slow growing breed of chicken that grows naturally without any growth hormones, fed with high-quality diet and specialist Thai herbs.

Photo courtesy of https://www.klongphaifarm.com/