FRANKFORT, Ky. — Walmart, one of the largest retail chains in the world, announced in May its "new positions" concerning animal welfare policy and reinforced its commitment to offering customers choices and transparency into how their food is grown and raised.

According to information from the retail giant, the company recognizes the "Five Freedoms" of animal welfare and is committed to working with supply chain partners to implement practices consistent with the Five Freedoms.

Harwood Shaffer, a research assistant professor at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, said with Walmart coming forth with this policy, it could set a trend for other companies to follow. "In some ways we already see it, but they’re responding to consumer preference," he said.

Shaffer pointed out that, over the last several years, he has seen grocery stores go from stocking a small space with natural or organic goods to stocking several aisles and freezer cases with these products.

When Walmart refers to the Five Free-doms, it comes from a study that involves British agricultural policy, he said.

Within that policy is contained categories to define animal welfare that include the designation of the animal having a life not worth living, a life worth living and a good life, he said.

The life not worth living category describes animal abuse. Shaffer pointed out it is already illegal in the U.S. to abuse animals in the way described in this particular category. "Generally what we’re dealing with in the U.S. is in one of the two remaining categories," he said.

For example, this British Animal Welfare Council policy allows for castration without anesthesia under the life worth living category, but anesthesia must be used to categorize an animal as living a good life. Shaffer noted that products labeled under the higher category come at a higher price, and it appears there is a market for that.

Shaffer, along with associate Daryll Ray, writes a regular posting called Policy Pennings. In one posting, the two discussed the new Walmart policy.

"Over time the standards for the humane treatment of animals have evolved, and practices, whether at home or on the farm, that once were considered acceptable are running up against the changing expectations of consumers and the general public. Clearly the establishment of animal welfare standards by major grocery retailers and restaurants reflect this shift."

Shaffer said growing up and living in rural areas, it was very common to talk to a farmer and buy a quarter or half side of beef, and it was his choice of who he wanted to deal with. "At that point, I as a consumer to some extent was able to choose based on their practices," he said. "Then, we get a period where the consumer is separated from that: being able to see the individual farmer, knowing who they are and making an informed choice."

Shaffer added that many consumers don’t have a clue about animal agriculture, and their view of dealing with these farm animals is colored by their view of their pets. "For better or worse, those perceptions by consumers are not going to change," he said.

But he said the British Animal Welfare Council policy opens up conversations about the treatment of animals. With education to consumers about animal agriculture, they can make a choice of buying a product based on these categories or others such as antibiotic-free or non-GMO and whether or not they want to pay the price related to each.