- Enhanced Welfare: Pork from outdoor-bred or outdoor-reared pigs finished indoors, with more space and a solid, bedded lying area.
- Free Range: Pork from pigs with continuous outdoor access.
The consultation also proposes some adjustments to Red Tractor’s existing standards, which it said are required to ensure the equivalence with other assurance schemes, and to ensure core standards reflect best practice.
While the Red Tractor Pigs Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) believes that many outdoor and indoor producers already operate at the proposed standards, the consultation is designed to establish precise views on this.
Red Tractor is also considering a new ‘Certified Standards Plus’ tier for indoor production, with flexible farrowing as the key criteria. It is seeking views from the pig sector on whether such a tier would help support an industry-led transition to flexible farrowing, to avoid conflicting retailer requirements and reduce business uncertainty.
It points out that there is growing momentum within the UK pig sector towards flexible farrowing, and the sector is keen for this to be industry-led rather than legislated by government.
“Red Tractor has supported the pig industry’s voluntary initiatives before, like antibiotic use reporting, and sees an opportunity to do the same here by providing clear standards for flexible farrowing and a mechanism to market it to consumers,” it said.
Reduce cost and complexity
Stewart Houston, Red Tractor Pigs chairman said: “For pig producers, their commitment to animal welfare is at the heart of everything they do.
The Consultation
- To learn more about the proposals and respond to the consultation, visit Red Tractor’s website: https://redtractorassurance.org.uk/pigs-standards-and-labeling-proposals-consultation/
- The consultation runs from April 28 to June 6 and is open to all pig producers, industry stakeholders, and supply chain customers.
- Respondents can provide feedback anonymously if preferred, and all input will help finalise the standards to ensure they are workable and beneficial for the industry.
- The Red Tractor Sector Board will review the feedback at its next meeting on June 2025 and, based on industry feedback, decide on whether to introduce the new modules, proceeding only if there is ‘clear support’.
The proposed standards have been developed by the Red Tractor Pigs Technical Advisory Committee, supported by a dedicated task and finish group including a mix of TAC members, vets and welfare experts, and four additional pig producers representing various systems, indoor, flexible farrowing outdoor-bred and free-range systems.
Retailers were involved at the TAC level only. The Red Tractor Pigs Sector Board have overseen and scrutinised the development of the proposals.