Humane Farm Animal Care - Press Release, March 10, 2005

Three Washington, D.C. Area Restaurants Receive "Certified Humane" Certification

Three new restaurants in the Washington, D.C., area are among the first restaurants in the country to be “Certified Humane” by the national non-profit organization Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC). Melrose in the Park Hyatt Washington and Marcel’s, also in Washington, and Restaurant Eve, in Alexandria, Va., will now feature only “Certified Humane” meat, poultry, egg and dairy products on their menus. Equinox in Washington, D.C., and Hunter’s Head Tavern at Ayshire Farm in Upperville, Va., were the first two restaurants to qualify for the “Certified Humane” designation.

“These restaurants are leading the way,” said HFAC Executive Director Adele Douglass. “They are taking the extra step beyond cooking with fresh ingredients by offering eggs, poultry, meat and dairy products that have been humanely produced.” The “Certified Humane Raised and Handled” label, unveiled in May 2003, assures consumers that a meat, poultry, egg or dairy product has 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. Twenty-six companies are now certified to use the label.

Restaurant Eve is operated by husband-and-wife team Cathal and Meshelle Armstrong. Located in the heart of Old Town Alexandria, Restaurant Eve is a quaint, sophisticated 130-seat restaurant that offers fresh seasonal ingredients and produce grown to Chef Armstrong's specifications at Troy Farms in Westmoreland County, Virginia. For more information about Restaurant Eve, visit www.restauranteve.com.

All producers authorized to use the “Certified Humane” label must meet HFAC’s Animal Care Standards, which were developed by a veritable “Who’s Who” of national and international animal scientists and farm-animal welfare experts. Compliance is verified annually through on-site inspections 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 can be found at HFAC’s website