Dr. Brenda Coe joins Free Farmed as Director of Animal Science Programs

American Humane Association
Tuesday, 11 December 2001

Washington, DC – Farm Animal Services, which administers, monitors and certifies the Free Farmedä labeling program, today appointed Dr. Brenda L. Coe as director of animal science programs. The label, unveiled last year, is the first-ever program to certify that farm animals are raised in a humane manner. A Free Farmedä label assures consumers the meat, poultry, egg, and dairy products they purchase come from animals that were treated according to animal welfare standards developed by the American Humane Association.

"I'm very pleased Dr. Coe will join the Free Farmed team," said Adele Douglass, executive director of Farm Animal Services. "Her background will be invaluable as we work to improve the treatment of farm animals. Dr. Coe has been involved with the Free Farmed program from the beginning, especially in developing the welfare standards. I'm glad she'll now be working with us on a full-time basis."

"The Free Farmed program is already making a difference for farm animals across the country," Dr. Coe said. "I'm proud of what we've accomplished in just a year. And, as director of animal science programs, I'm excited about how much more we'll achieve in the coming years."

Dr. Coe most recently worked as a Veterinary Extension Associate in Veterinary Science at Pennsylvania State University, where she, among other things, developed programs and educational materials on Dairy Quality Assurance and Dairy Market Cows. Prior to those efforts, Dr. Coe was an Animal Welfare Perceptions Project Associate at Penn State where she coordinated development and implementation of an extensive training program for the Humane Society Police Officers in Animal Husbandry. She also helped develop and teach an undergraduate Companion Animal Care and Nutrition course. While at Purdue University, Dr. Coe served as an Animal Behavior Research Assistant, Veterinary Pathobiology Assistant, and Meat Science Technician. She also worked on the University of California's Sierra Foothill Range Field ranch conducting behavior studies on cattle and was involved in daily ranch operations.

Dr. Coe received her Ph.D. in Agricultural and Extension Education with a minor in Instructional Design, from The Pennsylvania State University, 1998. She also received a Master of Science in Animal Science-Physiology and Behavior from Purdue University in 1987 and a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from the University of California, Davis, in 1983.

For more information, or to contact American Humane Association, see their website at: www.americanhumane.org