THREE RESTAURANTS RECOGNIZED BY HUMANE FARM ANIMAL CARE

THREE RESTAURANTS RECOGNIZED BY HUMANE FARM ANIMAL CARE
May 28th, 2009

(Herndon, VA, U.S.A., May 28, 2009) – Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC), the leading non-profit certification organization improving the lives of farm animals in food production, announced today that it recognized Girasole Restaurant (The Plains, VA), Mala Ocean Tavern (Maui, HI), and Ono Gelato Company (Paia, HI) for their commitment to purchasing Certified Humane Raised and Handled® products for their menus.

The Certified Humane™ designation assures consumers that meat, poultry, egg or dairy products have been produced according to HFAC's precise standards for humane farm animal treatment. Animals must receive a nutritious diet without antibiotics or hormones and must be raised with shelter, resting areas and space sufficient to support natural behavior. Since the HFAC program was unveiled in May 2003, more than 65 companies, representing hundreds of farms and millions of farm animals, have been certified.

Outside of HFAC's producer certification, the restaurant recognition program was developed to acknowledge restaurants and chefs who support the goals of Humane Farm Animal Care, and are dedicated to using Certified Humane™ products whenever they are available.

Girasosle Restaurant in The Plains, Virginia is a family-owned Italian restaurant that sources and promotes Certified Humane Raised and Handled® beef, veal, chicken, pork and turkey products from Ayrshire Farm (www.ayrshirefarm.com). For more information about Girasole visit www.girasole-panino.com

Mala Ocean Tavern in Maui, Hawaii is a water front restaurant that procures its goat cheese from Surfing Goat Dairy (www.surfinggoatdairy.com), a local Certified Humane™ producer of goats milk cheeses. For Mark Ellman, chef/owner, the decision came naturally as the restaurant specializes in fresh organic fare. For more information about Mala Ocean Tavern, visit www.malaoceantavern.com

Also in Hawaii, Ono Gelato Company in Paia uses lilikoi quark cheese from Surfing Goat Dairy to make lilikoi quark gelato. The gelateria is operated with Farm to Fork ethics, supporting local farming communities and using Certified Humane ™ and organic ingredients when possible. For more information visit, www.onogelatocompany.com

HFAC's Animal Care Standards were developed by a veritable "Who's Who" of national and international animal scientists and farm-animal welfare experts. Producer compliance with the HFAC standards is verified through annual on-site visits by HFAC's third-party inspectors.
HFAC is a national nonprofit organization supported by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), regional and local animal protection organizations, foundations and individuals.
More information is available at HFAC's website, www.certifiedhumane.org



Ono Gelato and Mala are both our customers and we would like to say a big CONGRATS to them.