Our view

Pigs reared outdoors have plenty of space and natural light. © Pig Business directed by Tracy Worcester, www.pigbusiness.co.uk

Plenty of space for pigs to move around
Many British pig farmers operate to higher welfare and environmental standards than in other countries around the world and in the European Union. Pig farmers who rear pigs and produce pork products to these standards should be rewarded through the price they receive for their produce. Pigs reared outdoors have more space to move around and natural light.

Outdoor, free range pig rearing is preferable to intensive indoor production, providing measures are taken by farmers to ensure that waterways are protected from pollution caused by soil contaminated with pig manure running off from fields in which pigs are being kept. Any health and welfare issues associated with pigs raised outdoors should also be addressed.

Pigs that are raised indoors should have enough space to freely move around, be provided with good ventilation, adequate daylight and have straw or other materials to allow natural nesting and foraging behavior.

The need for improved labelling
We want improved labelling to be introduced that ensures you can identify pig meat products that come from pigs that are both raised and processed according to the higher welfare standards practiced by British pig farmers. It is currently possible to import pig meat process it in some way and then label it as British.

Stricter enforcement of animal welfare laws
When the review of the European Union’s Directive on pig farming is undertaken we support:

• The introduction of legal definitions for the methods of rearing pigs for pig meat production;
• strict enforcement of the requirements of the Pigs Directive across Europe, for example on environmental enrichment and tail docking;
• a complete ban of sow stalls with no exceptions.