Blog Feed - "Mission"

The Cleaner Wiener™ Just Got Greener

March 25, 2025

Applegate surpassed its goal to source beef from verified regenerative grasslands for all its beef hot dogs — nine months early and 80% beyond target. Discover how 10.8 million acres were positively impacted through regenerative agriculture and why this milestone matters for the future of meat.

On Earth Day and Every Day: One Planet, One Mission

April 05, 2024

The first Earth Day took place on April 22, 1970. Some 20 million Americans – some 10 percent of the U.S. population at the time – took to the streets. Four years ago, on the 50th Earth Day, more than a billion people around the world participated in some form of action.

Mission Matters: Our first-ever Mission Report

March 04, 2024

Quantifying what we do at Applegate isn’t easy. But hard things aren’t something that puts us off. And so I am proud to announce our very first Mission Report, a comprehensive evaluation of our impact on people, animals and the planet.

A New Roadmap for Poultry Welfare

October 13, 2023

We announced our support of the Better Chicken Commitment in 2016, and have already made much progress. Here is the detailed roadmap we intend to follow. Because we are committed to transparency, we will publicly report annual progress and adjust this roadmap as needed based on that progress.

Coming Soon: A New RoadMap for Poultry Welfare

June 16, 2023

Consumers are increasingly concerned about where their food comes from and how it was produced. Which is pretty great from our point of view. For more than 30 years, Applegate has been dedicated to improving and improving transparency in animal welfare. It’s part of our mission: Changing The Meat We Eat®.

Tell the USDA to Stop Clucking Around with Organic Standards!

September 23, 2022

The Organic label should reflect consumer expectations–including animal welfare. We all think we know what “organic” means when we see it on a label. When it comes to meat, that includes giving animals plenty of space and time outside. Unfortunately, there are fewer rules than you might think, especially for poultry. That has allowed some farmers to follow the letter, if not the spirit of the rules, weakening the credibility of the Organic standard and the Organic label we all know and, should, trust.

Three school age children wearing uniforms

Applegate Will Match Donations to After School All Stars*

November 30, 2021

One Small Act from You, One Huge Difference in a Child’s Life

Our Commitments and Contributions to Regenerative Agriculture

November 03, 2021

Regenerative agriculture is the latest buzzword in the meat industry—and for good reason. Holistic practices, especially holistic grazing of livestock, have the potential to slash methane emissions, enrich soil health, boost biodiversity, and even sequester carbon. There’s no time to waste.

Help squash superbugs! Antibiotic resistance is on the rise (again!)

June 02, 2021

For two years in a row, the number of antibiotics given to animals has jumped. Sales of medically important antibiotics climbed 11% between 2017 and 2019, according to recent FDA figures, with pork producers leading the charge. The numbers are moving in the wrong direction.

Meat-ing the Future.

May 27, 2021

Last year, the world endured a radical shock. And in few places was that more obvious than in the food system. Shelves were empty. Prices rose. Change, everyone agreed, was necessary. As we emerge from the thick of the crisis, it is time to put those changes in place, to build a more resilient and equitable food system. Here, at Applegate, that means doing more than simply limiting our impact on the planet. It means pioneering and championing smart, holistic systems that produce quality meat while actually improving the land and the soil.

Go Applegatarian!

February 04, 2020

The 'Go Applegatarian' movement is an extension of our brand's mission- Changing The Meat We Eat®- and we couldn't be more excited to launch it!

The Cleaner Wiener™ Is Now Even Cleaner

June 28, 2017

Our natural and organic 100% grass-fed beef hot dogs are officially verified by the Non-GMO Project.

Our Commitment to More Humane Chicken Standards

March 03, 2017

At Applegate, we take pride in being the nation’s leading natural and organic meat company. We have never been content with the status quo, especially when it comes to animal welfare.