What Is Human-Grade Dog Food?

In this article:

• What does the term “human-grade” mean for dog food?
• Is human-grade dog food the same thing as food for humans?
• Is food from The Farmer’s Dog human-grade?
• How is human-grade different from typical pet-food standards?
• How is “human-grade” different from “natural” or “premium?”

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This article was originally published in March 2024, and has been updated.

Simply, human-grade dog food is made to the same rigorous safety and quality standards, and according to the same regulations, that apply to human food. “Human-grade” has a strict definition set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), the organization that sets pet-food nutrition and labeling guidelines—so when you see the term on a dog food label, it’s much more than marketing. The Farmer’s Dog recipes are made with human-grade ingredients to human-grade safety and quality standards. Every step of our sourcing, cooking, packaging, and storing processes meets human-food standards. Our food is cooked, packaged, and tested exclusively in human-food facilities.

Here’s a clear explanation of what “human-grade” means, and why it’s key to how we approach dog nutrition. 

What does the term “human-grade” mean for dog food?

Human-grade dog food is made according to the same rigorous safety and quality standards and the same regulations that apply to human food. 

“Human-grade” is an AAFCO-defined standard that describes a ready-to-eat food whose ingredients were “stored, handled, processed, and transported in a manner consistent and compliant with 21 CFR [Code of Federal Regulations] part 117.” Those are Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules governing human-food production. The AAFCO definition of “human-grade” goes on to say that a human-grade food must also follow “those applicable federal human food laws as required by ingredient, process and/or facility type.”

Human-grade pet food is made in facilities licensed to produce human food. Read labels carefully; while some pet-food brands advertise that they use human-grade ingredients, their food is not actually human-grade if it isn’t made in human-food facilities.

Is human-grade dog food the same thing as food for humans?

No. Human-grade dog food meets the same safety and quality standards as food for humans, but it is made to be healthy for dogs specifically. This is because dogs and humans have different nutritional needs.

Is The Farmer’s Dog food human-grade?

Yes, all food from The Farmer’s Dog is human-grade. Every step of our sourcing, cooking, packaging, and storing processes meets the same standards required for human food. 

All our manufacturing locations are subject to third-party audits of food safety, good manufacturing processes, quality programs, and sanitary conditions. We have strict controls in place to minimize physical, chemical, microbial, and allergen carry-over and cross-contamination.

All of our facilities are federally inspected and registered to make human food. Very few pet foods meet this exacting standard. 

How is human-grade different from typical pet-food standards?

Traditional dog food is not subject to the same scrutiny, regulation, and rule-enforcement that applies to human food. Typical dry and canned pet food is subject to the same regulations as commercial animal “feed.”

Pet food—kibble and canned food—can be made from parts of animals left over from the process of making human food. These ingredients are often rendered at high heat into powdered “meals” (see below). The best example of a rendered product, and one that’s commonly found in commercial pet food, is “meal,” usually listed in the ingredients list as “chicken meal” or “beef meal.” 

How is “human-grade” different from “premium?”

Descriptors like “premium” and “holistic” aren’t defined by AAFCO. They’re meaningless marketing terms, or “romance copy.”

Foods labeled “human-grade” are made according to strict, enforceable health and safety standards.

Frequently asked questions

What is human-grade dog food?

Human-grade dog food has been made to standards defined by AAFCO requiring ingredients to be stored, handled, processed, and transported in a manner consistent and compliant with federal laws applicable to human food as required by ingredient, process, and/or facility type.

Is The Farmer’s Dog food human-grade?

Yes. The Farmer’s Dog recipes are made with human-grade ingredients to human-grade safety and quality standards. Every step of our sourcing, cooking, packaging, and storing processes meets human-food standards. Our food is cooked, packaged, and tested in exclusively human-food facilities.

Is “human-grade” a regulated standard?

Yes, “human-grade” is a regulated food standard defined by AAFCO describing a whole food’s manufacturing process as well as the facilities where the food was made.

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