Welfare Science

Pig Welfare Global Challenges

Global pig welfare faces enormous scale challenges as consumption rises in Asia and Africa with minimal welfare regulation, while producer economics constrain improvement.

Key Facts

Global pig production is approximately 1.3 billion pigs slaughtered annually
China produces approximately half of the world's pork with rapidly intensifying production
Welfare standards in major producing countries outside Europe are largely unregulated
Rising incomes in developing countries increase welfare expectations alongside consumption
International trade in pork creates regulatory arbitrage challenges for high-welfare producers

Welfare Considerations

The global scale of pig production means that welfare improvements in high-income countries are overwhelmed by welfare deterioration in rapidly intensifying lower-income markets. International engagement, technology transfer, and trade standards are essential for addressing the global welfare challenge.

What You Can Do

Support organisations working on pig welfare in global south production systems
Advocate for welfare equivalence requirements in international trade agreements
Engage with the global scale of pig welfare as a reason for systemic rather than individual solutions