Cranswick has committed to a new six-point plan to raise animal welfare standards across its pig farming operations, in response to the findings of a veterinary-led review, published today.
Cranswick commissioned Dr Andy Butterworth, an independent vet with three decades of experience, to conduct a review and assess compliance with legal, industry and retailer animal welfare standards in May, after secretly-filmed footage highlighted what it described as ‘unacceptable practices’ at North Moor Farm, in Lincolnshire.
There have subsequently been two further damaging exposés on farms the company owns. All three farms were acquired as part of the Elsham Linc pig business in August 2023.
The review involved unannounced visits to 20 separate Cranswick pig farms during June, July and August 2025.
It found that the Cranswick farms visited were compliant with legislation and animal welfare standards, and found no evidence of poor handling and treatment of pigs on farm. It concluded that the actions seen in the investigative films were not representative of Cranswick’s normal standards and practices – but could not categorically state that such events could not occur on other farms which were not visited, or at other times outside of the visit events.
The review set out 44 wide-ranging recommendations for raising standards within Cranswick and across the wider industry, which have been published in full today. They include:
- The standardisation of farming practices and procedures, including the handling and movement of pigs, across all Cranswick pig farms.
- Increased use of surveillance systems to ensure good practice for pig welfare on farms.
- Improvements in the culture and working practices on farms, including an increased focus on staff training.
- Increased focus on animal health and welfare outcomes, including reducing interventions, such as tail docking, teeth grinding and the use of nose rings and investigating opportunities to improve enrichment materials for indoor pigs reared without straw.
- Collaboration with the industry, Red Tractor and Cranswick customers to develop improved welfare standards for pigs.
Six-point plan
Cranswick’s board has accepted the findings in full and committed to a new six-point plan to raise animal welfare standards across all Cranswick-run pig farms. It includes:
- A full review of Cranswick training, working practices and farm culture. This will include an enhanced training programme, delivered regularly by vets and farm welfare experts.
- The introduction of standardised working practices and procedures across all Cranswick farms, to ensure that standards are the same across the farms.
- The continued installation of advanced AI-enabled CCTV surveillance technology to review and implement good practice for pig welfare on farms and to monitor ongoing health and welfare measures.
- The introduction of five new welfare officer roles, which will be based in a dedicated Cranswick Welfare Hub. This refurbished site will become a centre-of-excellence for training, research and development, and will host the company’s CCTV and AI-enhanced monitoring capabilities.
- The incorporation of the updated welfare procedures into Cranswick’s ESG programme, including formal progress reviews with the Board.
- Investing over £40m across the next three years to improve and modernise the Cranswick pig farming operations.
The details of this plan will be confirmed by the end of December 2025 and a further update outlining progress will be made in due course.
Much to be done
Dr Butterworth said: “I was commissioned by Cranswick to look at pig operations across all their systems. I found that the behaviours seen in the videos were not exhibited during the farm visits.
“However, there is much that can be done to improve welfare standards across Cranswick operations, and across the pig farming industry, as set out in my report and in the 44 recommendations I have produced.
“I recognise Cranswick’s acceptance of the findings, and their commitment to work towards adopting the recommendations.”
Cranswick’s Board thanked Dr Butterworth for his ‘comprehensive investigation and highlighting opportunities to continue to improve our pig farming operations and those of the wider industry’.
A Cranswick spokesperson said: “The health and welfare of the pigs we rear is, and always will be, our priority. As soon as this footage was shared with us in May, the Board acted swiftly to understand what had happened and take steps to stop these appalling practices from happening again.”
He noted that many of the changes the company has made predate this report. This includes removing anyone from the business who was found to have broken Cranswick standards and introducing a total ban of non-mechanical blunt force trauma at all its farms.
A new health and welfare training programme has been implemented, with more than 1,600 hours of additional training delivered to more than 200 people and almost 400 AI-enabled CCTV cameras at 34 Cranswick-operated Red Tractor Farms installed by October 10.
“But what this report shows is there is more we can do,” the spokesperson added. “As the UK’s leading pork producer, we should go further than simply complying with the law and meeting our own standards. We should be looking to lead the industry and raise standards wherever possible.
“That is why the Board has developed this six-point plan to raise standards across our operations and share our experiences with the wider industry.”
Cranswick operates five farming companies, rearing pigs to either the Red Tractor or RSPCA Assured standards, around 100 farms and 600 employees. It also works with 300 third-party farmers, producing, in total, approximately 35,000 pigs per week.