Validus Ventures
Validus Verification Services is an ISO 9001:2015 certified third-party certification company, founded in 2001 and now a division of Where Food Comes From, Inc., that conducts on-site audits for animal welfare, environmental, on-farm security, and worker care practices across farms, food processors, feed facilities, and pet breeders.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersUrbandale, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Validus Ventures does
Validus Verification Services is an independent, ISO 9001:2015 and 17065 certified third-party certification company headquartered in Urbandale, Iowa. Founded in 2001 and operating today as a wholly owned division of Where Food Comes From, Inc. (WFCF), Validus conducts on-site audits and assessments that document and verify socially responsible animal welfare, environmental, on-farm security, and worker care practices across dairy, beef, poultry, pork, fish, and crop operations, as well as in feed mills, rendering plants, pet food manufacturers, and pet breeding facilities.
The company's product portfolio spans four core Validus Certified Programs (Animal Welfare Review, On-Farm Security Review, Worker Care Review, Environmental Review) that anchor the parent company's CARE Certified sustainability standard, alongside a broad set of specialized audit programs including PAACO Dairy and Swine audits, United Egg Producers audits, American Humane Certified audits, CDFA Animal Care (Proposition 12), Canine Care Certified, Common Swine Industry Audit, and Duck & Quail welfare audits. Facility-side work covers SQF audits (GFSI-benchmarked), HACCP, CGMP, RUPP, Plasma & Hemoglobin, Safe Feed/Safe Food, and Investigative audits, while bundled programs combine USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project, Gluten Free, and Source Verification under WFCF's program umbrella. Underlying technology includes the SOW Organic web platform for organic certification category management and the SureHarvest Sustainability MIS platform for sustainability program verification.
Validus monetizes through quote-based, project-priced professional services contracts with farms, ranches, food processors, and food retailers. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; engagement is initiated through website-driven quote requests, with combined-audit bundling serving as the primary commercial lever. Customers are enterprise food producers, with named relationships including a2 Milk, Aurora Organic Dairy, McCarty Family Farms, MVP Dairy, Columbia River / Three Mile Canyon Farms, and Producers Bar 20 Dairy. Distribution is direct, sales-led, and supported by academic expert committees that provide continuous standard updates. Validus employs between 1-10 people under the name, with the broader WFCF corporate organization supplying shared back-office and program infrastructure.
Validus Ventures firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Validus Ventures
- Legal name
- Validus Services
- Website
- https://validusservices.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Validus Verification Services is an ISO 9001:2015 certified third-party certification company, founded in 2001 and now a division of Where Food Comes From, Inc., that conducts on-site audits for animal welfare, environmental, on-farm security, and worker care practices across farms, food processors, feed facilities, and pet breeders.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Validus Ventures industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Certification and Verification Services
- NAICS
- Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Support Activities for Animal Production (11521)
- SIC
- Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Animal Welfare Auditing, Compliance & Certification Services (Non-testing Lab) (AFAEALAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Animal Welfare Certification Services (AFALAMAE), Witness Audits, Office Assessments & Certification Governance Services (AFALACAG), Sanitation, GMP & Prerequisite Program (PRP) Audits (SSOPs, Hygiene, Pest Control) (AFALABAI)
Keywords
Where Validus Ventures is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Urbandale
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Validus Ventures business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Certification and Verification Services: Validus provides third-party certification and verification services for animal welfare, environmental practices, on-farm security, and worker care. They conduct on-site audits and assessments for farms, facilities, and food production operations. Certification is awarded based on compliance with specified criteria and standards.
- Bundled Certification Programs: Validus bundles various certification and verification services including USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project, Gluten Free, Safe Quality Food (SQF), and HACCP certifications to offer clients reduced costs through combined audits.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
Validus Ventures product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Validus Verification Services is an independent, ISO 9001:2015 and 17065 certified company that provides third-party on-site audits and certification for socially responsible animal welfare, environmental, on-farm security, and worker care practices across the food production industry. The company conducts audits for farms, ranches, food processors, feed mills, and breeding kennels, and is accredited to perform Safe Quality Food (SQF) audits. Its offerings include the core Validus Certified Programs (Animal Welfare Review, On-Farm Security Review, Worker Care Review, Environmental Review), specialized Animal Welfare Audits, Facility Audits, and bundled programs such as USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project, Gluten Free, and CARE Certified.
Product overview
Validus Verification Services is an independent certification company offering a comprehensive portfolio of on-site audit and certification services for the food production industry. The core offerings include four Validus Certified Programs: Animal Welfare Review, On-Farm Security Review, Worker Care Review, and Environmental Review, which together form the foundation for CARE Certified sustainability certification. Beyond these core programs, Validus provides specialized Animal Welfare Audits including PAACO, United Egg Producers, American Humane Certified, CDFA Animal Care, Canine Care Certified, CSIA, and Duck & Quail audits; Facility Audits including SQF, HACCP, CGMP, RUPP, Plasma & Hemoglobin, Safe Feed/Safe Food, and Investigative Audits; and Bundled Programs combining USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project, Gluten Free, Source Verification, SureHarvest technology, and CARE Certified. The company has operated since 2001 and is a wholly owned division of Where Food Comes From, Inc.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Validus Animal Welfare Review Third-party certification program awarded to farms demonstrating compliance with animal welfare standards including proper animal handling, housing comfort, herd health procedures, on-farm security, food and water quality. Designed for farms, ranches, and food companies seeking independent verification of animal welfare practices.
- On-Farm Security Review Certification program ensuring biosecurity of the food supply through compliance with on-farm security procedures including animal traceability, animal management, facility management, disease prevention, and feed quality management. For farms and food production operations seeking biosecurity verification.
- Worker Care Review Certification program including comprehensive pre-audit of worker care practices covering federal and state labor laws, non-discrimination practices, housing provisions, health and safety requirements, wages and benefits, and working condition observations. For farms and food producers demonstrating socially responsible workforce practices.
- Environmental Review Certification program based on Good Environmental Livestock Production Practices (GELPPs) verified by ANSI, covering site management, manure use, livestock production areas, animal mortality management, outdoor manure storage, and wastewater controls. For livestock producers seeking environmental stewardship verification.
- CARE Certified Suite of sustainability standards certifying farmers and ranchers in beef, poultry, pork, fish, and dairy industries for exceptional sustainable practices in animal husbandry, environmental stewardship, and people and community engagement.
- PAACO Audits Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization audits for dairy and swine industries, with Validus Dairy and Swine Audits certified by PAACO. For producers requiring professionally certified animal welfare audits.
- United Egg Producers Audits On-site audits for United Egg Producers and member companies based on UEP Animal Husbandry Guidelines for caged and cage-free egg production. For egg producers and member companies seeking UEP compliance.
- American Humane Certified Audits Third-party audits for the American Humane Association's farm animal welfare program, American Humane Certified. Validus is the largest third-party auditor for the program. For producers seeking American Humane certification.
- CDFA Animal Care (Proposition 12) Audits California Department of Food and Agriculture Animal Care program audits implementing Proposition 12 regulations for animal welfare compliance. For California livestock and egg producers.
- Canine Care Certified Third-party audits for pet breeders based on voluntary standards for care and well-being of breeding dogs. For pet breeding facilities and kennels seeking canine welfare certification.
- Common Swine Industry Audit (CSIA) Swine industry audit tool for evaluating animal welfare practices in pork production. For pork producers seeking CSIA compliance.
- Duck & Quail Animal Welfare Audits Third-party audits encompassing all stages of production from hatchery management through growout, molting, catching, transport, and processing for duck and quail operations.
- Safe Quality Food (SQF) Audits GFSI-benchmarked certification audits conducted in 13 Food Sector Categories including livestock, slaughterhouse, dairy, egg processing, pet food, and animal feed manufacturing. For food processors and feed facilities seeking SQF certification.
- HACCP Audits Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point management system for animal food and feed safety addressing biological, chemical, and physical hazards through critical point control. For feed manufacturers and animal food processors.
- CGMP Audits Current Good Manufacturing Practices baseline safety and sanitation audit for manufacturing, processing, packing, and holding of animal food, prerequisite for FSMA compliance. For animal food manufacturing facilities.
- Safe Feed/Safe Food Program Voluntary independently certified program establishing comprehensive standards of excellence for the total feed industry beyond existing regulations. For feed industry participants.
- Investigative Audits Specialized audits conducted alongside supply chains at the request of clients for investigative purposes. For food companies needing supply chain investigative review.
- USDA National Organic Certification Organic certification for operations producing crops and livestock including agriculture crops, wild harvested crops, hydroponics, pastures, hemp, hay, row crops, and produce. For organic producers across multiple operation types.
- Non-GMO Project Verification Non-GMO Project verification service that can be bundled with other certification programs to reduce audit costs. For food producers seeking Non-GMO Project Verified labeling.
- Gluten Free Certification Gluten Free standard based on quantitative analysis of ingredients and products along with management practices minimizing gluten introduction. For food producers requiring gluten free certification.
- Source Verification Identification and traceability verification using individual electronic ear tags cross-referenced to farm or ranch records for tracking animal birthplace and product origin. For producers requiring supply chain traceability.
- Traceability Audits Species-specific traceability audits for cage-free or crate-free production claims, covering premises identification, animal identification, production practices, and movement throughout the system. For food chain participants verifying production claims.
Companies that use Validus Ventures
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Validus Ventures technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Validus Ventures partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI)coreValidus is licensed by the Safe Quality Food Institute to perform SQF audits, both on farm and in plants processing raw agricultural goods. SQF is Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) benchmarked and recognized worldwide.
- ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB)coreValidus is accredited by ANAB to perform SQF audits. ANSI accreditation ensures the certification process meets international standards for accreditation bodies.
- Where Food Comes From, Inc.coreValidus is a wholly owned division of Where Food Comes From, Inc. The partnership enables integrated services and products through combined resources. WFCF divisions include WFCF Organic, SureHarvest, and WFCF CARE Certified programs.
- United Egg ProducerscoreValidus is the only privately held company approved to conduct audits for United Egg Producers and their member companies. Validus auditors conduct on-site audits according to UEP Animal Husbandry Guidelines for both caged and cage-free egg production.
- American Humane CertifiedcoreValidus is the largest third-party auditor for American Humane Association's farm animal welfare program, American Humane Certified. The cooperative relationship began in January 2008.
- Purdue University - Canine Care Certified ProgramminorPurdue University is the program administrator for the Canine Care Certified program. Validus conducts third-party audits for pet breeders based on voluntary standards for breeding dog care and well-being.
- Non-GMO ProjectminorValidus bundles Non-GMO Project verification with other certification programs, enabling clients to obtain both USDA Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified certifications through combined audits.
- USDA National Organic ProgramminorWFCF Organic, a division of Where Food Comes From, provides certification services for the USDA National Organic Program, which Validus bundles with other verification services.
- SureHarvestminorSureHarvest is a division of Where Food Comes From, Inc. providing strategic advisory services and sustainability program development that may be bundled with Validus verification and certification services.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Validus Ventures competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Food Safety Net Services (FSNS): U.S.-based food safety testing and GFSI-benchmarked audit provider (SQF, BRC, FSSC 22000); overlaps with Validus in facility audits for meat, dairy, and feed processors.
- FoodChain ID: Owns the Non-GMO Project verification program (which Validus bundles) and Global Animal Partnership animal welfare certification, making it a direct comparable in food verification and on-farm welfare labeling.
- SCS Global Services: Provides third-party certification and auditing across food safety, animal welfare, sustainability, and traceability — overlapping Validus's core on-farm audit, SQF, and sustainability program work.
- Global Animal Partnership (GAP): Multi-step animal welfare certification standard for farmed species used by major North American retailers; a direct competing labeling program to Validus's Animal Welfare Review and species-specific traceability audits.
- A Greener World: Operates certified animal welfare labeling programs (Certified Animal Welfare Approved, Certified Grass-Fed) for farms and ranches; directly competes in third-party on-farm animal welfare certification against Validus's Animal Welfare Review and PAACO audits.
Broad incumbents
- SGS SA: World's largest testing, inspection, and certification company; competes with Validus in food safety audits, agricultural commodity verification, and ISO-based certification.
- Intertek: Global TIC firm providing food safety auditing, agricultural commodity certification, and supply-chain assurance across similar customer base to Validus, including GFSI-benchmarked schemes.
- NSF International: Global food safety, animal welfare (NSF's Global Animal Wellness Standard), and supply-chain certification body with far broader service breadth but direct overlap in food safety auditing, SQF, and traceability.
- Bureau Veritas: Global TIC firm offering agricultural commodity inspection, food certification (including GFSI-benchmarked schemes), and sustainability verification programs at global scale — direct overlap with Validus's farm and facility audit portfolio.
- Eurofins Scientific: Global food and feed testing plus certification services including GFSI-benchmarked audits; overlapping with Validus in feed/pet food facility audits and supply-chain verification.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Validus Ventures social profiles
Digital presenceValidus Ventures compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
Validus Ventures financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Validus Ventures leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Validus Ventures funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Validus Ventures M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Validus Ventures
What does Validus Ventures do?
Validus Verification Services is an independent, ISO 9001:2015 and 17065 certified company that provides third-party on-site audits and certification for socially responsible animal welfare, environmental, on-farm security, and worker care practices across the food production industry. The company conducts audits for farms, ranches, food processors, feed mills, and breeding kennels, and is accredited to perform Safe Quality Food (SQF) audits. Its offerings include the core Validus Certified Programs (Animal Welfare Review, On-Farm Security Review, Worker Care Review, Environmental Review), specialized Animal Welfare Audits, Facility Audits, and bundled programs such as USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project, Gluten Free, and CARE Certified.
Is Validus Ventures a public or private company?
Validus Ventures is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Validus Ventures founded?
Validus Ventures was founded in 2001. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Validus Ventures based?
Validus Ventures is headquartered in Urbandale, United States, in the North America region.
How does Validus Ventures make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Certification and Verification Services are the primary driver. The others are bundled Certification Programs.
Who are Validus Ventures's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Food Safety Net Services (FSNS), FoodChain ID, SCS Global Services, Global Animal Partnership (GAP) and A Greener World. Broad incumbents are SGS SA, Intertek, NSF International, Bureau Veritas and Eurofins Scientific.
Does Validus Ventures have an API?
No public API is recorded for Validus Ventures.
What industry is Validus Ventures in?
Validus Ventures's product category is Agricultural Certification and Verification Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAEALAN, Animal Welfare Auditing, Compliance & Certification Services (Non-testing Lab), with a secondary code of AFALAMAE, Animal Welfare Certification Services. Its NAICS code is 541380 and its SIC code is 8734.