Austin’s Hormel Foods Corporation has signed on to further improve animal welfare standards after recently signing on to the Better Chicken Commitment.

The food company, through mediated work with The Humane League, is now part of more than 175 companies vowing to improve welfare standards. This list includes companies including Burger King, Chipotle and Compass Group.

The Better Chicken Commitment is part of a growing trend by consumers, concerned, “about where their food comes from and how it was produced,” according to the Better Chicken Commitment website.

“Hormel Foods has incredibly high standards for animal welfare and our Animal Stewardship Principles demonstrate our commitment to animal welfare throughout our supply chain,” read a statement from Hormel. “We recently made some additional commitments pertaining specifically to broiler chickens, along with hundreds of other food companies, restaurants and food service operators, including our own Applegate business. We look forward to working collaboratively with suppliers, industry groups, nongovernmental organizations as we continue with our high standards.”

“Each year, billions of chickens within our food system endure a life of suffering,” said David Coman-Hidy, president of The Humane League. “As a leader in the food industry, we commend Hormel Foods for committing to better welfare for these chickens in-line with the Better Chicken Commitment, which has become the industry standard among other leading food companies. This includes improved living conditions, a better breed, and better handling of these chickens.”