What is FACTA?

FACTA is a nationally recognized leader in designing cutting-edge and pragmatic Animal Welfare (”AW”) training, verification, and certification tools. Our team will work jointly with yours to create and implement socially responsible on-farm company policies to protect your livestock, brand, and profits in an economically sensible manner. We provide large and small farms with the independent AW assurance and verification that today’s consuming public has come to expect. FACTA’s standards not only meet market expectations but exceed them. Our end goal is to assure that you remain in compliance with, and stay ahead of the ever evolving AW market demands.

Our Services

The FACTA team provides animal welfare audits, on-farm training and top-notch, bilingual online technical training and certification programs. The ultimate take away from our services is a wealth of critical information made available to management, animal caretakers, and consumers. Our online data management allows its users to access up-to-date audit monitoring and information. We take great pride in our post-audit processes and information dissemination. As a result, our producers and food processors receive the information needed to develop long-term solutions to protect their operations and reduce short and long-term risk.

Our Parent Company

FACTA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Frost, PLLC, a 40+ year old nationally recognized public accounting firm specializing in agriculture and food processing. Frost’s clients are a “who’s who” in the food industry. Frost acquired FACTA as a way to further express its commitment to the agriculture and food processing industries. Frost’s specialized team is highly regarded throughout these industries and provides advice and insight to clients across the country and internationally. This specialization is what makes Frost and FACTA leaders in their fields.

FACTA is a Leading National Audit Entity

FACTA (Farm Animal Care Training and Auditing) and Frost, PLLC, a leading national accounting firm in animal agriculture and food processing, have united to offer farm animal welfare auditing and assurance services to animal producers and food processors. Our goal is to help clients reduce their risk of animal welfare issues through the use of sophisticated risk aversion programs assuring clients and consumers that the best possible animal care practices are in use and independently verified.

FACTA is led by experts in animal handling and welfare and has been conducting independent, professional, science-based animal care training and auditing services for well over a decade and our audit reviews are PAACO certified.

FACTA Can Help Lower Your Public Relations Risks

Managing animal welfare (AW) is critical in today’s commercial animal agriculture units. When a company has control of its AW program, it lowers the risk of market disruptions and brand attacks. FACTA’s third-party verification services use accepted industry standards and best management practices that serve to protect your reputation and increase your bottom line.

We Have Science Based Experience & A 4-Tier Audit Approach

FACTA’s animal welfare 4-tier audit approach is based upon years of science-based experience in the animal agriculture and food processing industries. Our audits are independently conducted, third-party, objective assessments of the state of animal welfare at the time of the audit. Our services are based on individual farm benchmarking by credentialed auditors (PAACO Certified) and educators in an exclusive peer reviewed process. Our familiarity with the animal agriculture and food processing industries allows us to make assessments that generate relevant industry data without violating confidentialities or biosecurity.

TIER 1 Program – Establishing/Review of Existing AW Program

FACTA will review the current AW program policies and procedures and make recommendations to help the company implement the highest-level AW program based on science and thorough documentation.  This evaluation typically could include on-farm audits in order to evaluate how effectively procedures and policies are carried out on-farm.  This review may take a single day if the company’s program is well established or more days depending on the complexity of the program at the start. The final program review can make use of the scientific advisory committee. FACTA provides this 3rd party audit to either commercial farms or to other interested parties. This report can also be used by a 4th party, for example, a retail firm that buys from a major protein supplier. The report includes a risk assessment that details strengths and weaknesses in the AW program.

TIER 2 Program – Simple Audit Based on Industry Standards

This audit includes an objective, science-based assessment of the AW program using only company policies and the minimum industry standard that farm follows. The simple audit provides a simple report to the company using internal FACTA quality control but not a peer-review using our SAC. This audit is designed for companies that wish to follow minimum industry standards (ex. NPB, NCC or UEP guidelines). The final product is a letter indicating that the farm does or does not follow its policy and the appropriate industry standard. FACTA commendations and recommendations can be included upon request.

TIER 3 Program – Quality Audit

This audit collects the most data and provides the most complete understanding of the AW on that unit. Data are collected, summarized and analyzed. The report is detailed and as complete as our understanding of the science of animal welfare allows. The report is reviewed by the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC). Commendations and recommendations for improvement are provided by both the auditors and the SAC. FACTA’s audit instruments are designed for companies that wish to provide the highest level of AW oversight. The report is very detailed and complete using our in-depth knowledge of the science of animal welfare and then reviewed by our SAC. Commendations and recommendations for improvement are provided by both the auditors and the SAC. Data from this audit enter our internal, confidential database. FACTA will also provide wording for sustainability or corporate responsibility reports and for media if the client wishes. And, “if requested” we also can perform an internal audit of the client’s contract transportation and catching crews.

TIER 4 Program – Risk Assurance AW Audit*

This program makes use of the FACTA database and well over a decade of experience in AW auditing. Like fraud detection/prevention, this audit determines the AW risk to the corporation and brand. To be eligible for this audit, a FACTA Quality Audit must first be conducted. Then, data from the client farm are compared with peer organizations to determine relative strengths and weaknesses in the AW program. The Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) is involved in this audit which also includes a comparison of data from the client farm with data from the industry in an Agri-Stats type format. The client will know where they stand in their peer industry group. Information on every aspect of the animal welfare program is included. Some examples include employee interviews, housing system, training, the state of facilities, transport, the method of euthanasia, space, the degree of confinement, human-pig interactions, the risk of abuse, and risk of damage through undercover activity. The system is tested in multiple ways to assess risk.

* A FACTA Quality Audit completion is required. 

Kalyn Strahley

Animal Welfare Auditor

Kalyn joined FACTA in September of 2022. She grew up in Northwest Ohio, where she was an active member in 4-H and FFA. Her time in youth agriculture organizations eventually led her to the Ohio State University where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. Her love for agriculture and animals is what led her to her current role with FACTA.

Marina Demaine

Report Processor

Marina joined FACTA in May of 2023. She grew up in Scottsdale, AZ and attended the University of Arizona in Tucson, where she earned degrees in Linguistics and Philosophy with an emphasis in ethics. While in school she worked for the University’s College of Agriculture, School of Plant Sciences assisting their team of faculty and staff. Since graduation, Marina’s work has focused on technical writing and internal policy and procedure audits. When not at work she enjoys spending time reading and writing about European history.