Global Animal Partnership Board of Directors member, Owner and Operator of the Willis Free Range Pig Farm, and Manager of Niman Ranch Pork Company, a network of more than 500 family farmers, Paul Willis has dedicated his life to promoting—and practicing—more responsible farming that not only benefits the welfare of animals and the integrity of the environment, but helps sustain our rural communities.
I’ve been raising pigs for 46 years, and still do today. Over the years, I’ve seen a shift in farming: animals in agriculture have been reduced to “protein production units” and have lost the respect and dignity of being living individuals in our care. As a farmer, a consumer, and a steward, I think it’s important—for the welfare of the animals and the humans raising the animals—to reverse that trend. Systems with low animal welfare have also brought us huge environmental and social problems, so moving the market to incentivize raising animals with higher welfare creates opportunities for healthier food systems and more diversity in farming and ranching.
Global Animal Partnership’s 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating Standards program is taking the message of the importance of farm animal welfare to a large audience, spotlighting welfare-minded farmers and ranchers, and helping to move animal production to the types of practices we can all be proud of.
It’s an honor to serve on Global Animal Partnership’s Board of Directors, alongside people with so many different backgrounds but each with the aim of wanting to improve the welfare of farm animals. As a farmer and head of a group of 450 farmers, I’m able to give a practical perspective of what it takes to provide great welfare to animals. This is what’s so unique about Global Animal Partnership—the true commitment to a multi-stakeholder strategy to improve the lives of farm animals and to recognize those farmers and ranchers who have embraced more responsible and compassionate ways to raise animals.
—Paul Willis
