Red Tractor has confirmed it will move forward with plans for a new tiered approach to animal welfare standards and labelling for outdoor pig meat by the end of the year.
It follows a six-week industry-wide consultation by the food and farm assurance scheme, which explored enhanced welfare modules for both outdoor and indoor pig farms.
Altogether, 122 responses were received from small independent producers, retailers, vets, integrators and NGOs representing an estimated 225,000 sows, equating to approximately 90% of the English sow herd.
More than half (57%) of outdoor producers supported the idea of Red Tractor developing tiered standards and labelling for outdoor pig production systems: outdoor-bred pigs with straw-based or free-range finishing.
Red Tractor confirmed most of the proposed standards for these modules would be adopted and made available by the end of 2025.
The consultation also identified that further research was needed into labelling after ‘important questions’ were raised around whether the logo should reflect the method of production, for example using the term ‘outdoor bred’.
As many as 59% of respondents, including 72% of producers, felt the proposed ‘enhanced welfare’ tier should not include indoor systems such as indoor free farrowing.
“This consultation has provided a powerful snapshot of the supply chain’s views towards tiered labelling in pig production, from the people who matter,” said Stewart Houston, chair of the Red Tractor Pigs Sector Board.
“Taking on board the feedback, Red Tractor will now move forward with the industry’s request to develop tiered standards that reduce the need for compliance to multiple assurance schemes, reduce audit burden and provide clearer labelling of outdoor-bred pig meat. We’re also developing plans to support producers with transitioning to these modules, where they wish to.”
Read more: Red Tractor consults on higher welfare standards for pig sector
The consultation also examined the future of farrowing systems for indoor pig farms.
While 75% of producers said they were not planning on installing new or second-hand conventional crates, around half of pig producers said their existing farrowing equipment was over 20 years old.
This highlighted the need for support to invest in acceptable replacement systems in the future, Red Tractor said.
Producers were split on whether the food and farm assurance scheme should publish standards for flexible farrowing – 48% said this should be done as soon as possible, while just under half (42%) wanted Red Tractor to wait.
Only 35% supported developing an indoor-focused ‘certified standards plus’ module, falling to 28% amongst producers.
The Pigs Sector Board said it had paused work on an indoor-focused module but would continue to explore ways to support farmers transitioning to alternative farrowing systems.
In addition, existing core standards will be updated to align with other schemes in order to help reduce the audit burden on farms, Red Tractor added.
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