Global Animal Partnership (G.A.P.) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving farm animal welfare standards. GAP certifies individual farm businesses, producer groups and marketing groups. Distinctively, GAP establishes standards but does not conduct audits or issue certifications. Farmers must apply to GAP-accredited independent verification companies for GAP-certification. GAP currently covers the following animals: Bison, Beef cattle, Broiler chickens, Laying hens, Meat goats, Meat sheep, Pigs, and Turkeys. GAP began as the Animal Compassion Foundation, a program of Whole Foods Market created in 2005. In 2008, WFM renamed the program and spun off GAP as its own independent non-profit entity. G.A.P. has 11 partner countries, 100 standards per species, 5,000 carrying outlets, and 1,200 certified products.
