Founded in 2008, Global Animal Partnership (GAP) is a non-profit organization made up of farmers, scientists, retailers, manufacturers, and animal advocates, all collaborating with a common purpose: improving farm animal welfare. GAP is making a difference by creating and managing a comprehensive 5-Step® Welfare Rating Program for farm animals, where farms & ranches are audited every 15 months by an independent third-party. Through our 5-Step® Rating Program and labeled product program, producers and consumers can choose to support a program that continuously improves the lives of farm animals step by step.
Animal Welfare Standards
View our latest 5-Step® Animal Welfare Rating Program animal welfare standards for beef cattle, broiler chickens, pigs, turkey, sheep, goat, bison, and laying hens.
LEARN MOREGAP Partners
Learn about our partner farms, ranches, retailers, producers, food-service, and donors as well as how your farm or ranch can achieve 5-Step® Certification.
LEARN MORETake Action
As a non-profit organization, we rely on donations from involved consumers like you. With your donations and voice, we can make a difference in the lives of farm animals.
DONATE NOWThe 5-Step® Animal Welfare Rating Program

The 5-Step® Animal Welfare Rating Program promotes and facilitates continuous improvement in animal agriculture, encourages welfare-friendly farming practices, and informs consumers about the animal farming systems they choose to support.
5-Step® Process
Learn about the rigorous process of development, review, and revision that goes into making our farm animal welfare standards.
LEARN MORE5-Step® Certification
Learn how to get certified under the 5-Step® Animal Welfare Rating Program through independent, third-party audits.
LEARN MORE5-Step® Animal Welfare Standards
Our multi-step standards are truly unique. Each species-specific standards reflects a thorough, collaborative and transparent process, which blends the best of scientific and practical knowledge currently available. By involving input from farmers, ranchers, scientists, veterinarians, certifiers, industry experts, advocates and food companies, our standards reflect our mission of continuous improvement in animal agriculture, and our commitment to supporting our partners through the process, Step-by-Step.













