Welfare auditing of intensive pig farms reveals systematic problems that self-reporting and annual inspections frequently miss.
Intensive pig farm welfare audit quality determines whether welfare standards are meaningful or performative. Audits relying on self-reported data or announced visits are systematically less accurate than independent unannounced inspections using animal-based outcome measures. The difference between what farms report and what independent auditors find has been documented repeatedly across jurisdictions. CCTV footage provides the most continuous welfare record but requires independent oversight to generate accountability. Welfare certification schemes with strong audit protocols - frequent, unannounced, animal-based - represent the gold standard that distinguishes credible from performative welfare assurance.