Welfare Science

Pig Welfare in Trade Policy

International trade agreements that allow imports from countries with lower welfare standards undermine the efforts of farmers who invest in higher welfare production.

Key Facts

UK farmers face competition from imported pork produced to lower welfare standards
Trade agreements without welfare equivalence requirements create unfair competition
Welfare conditionality in trade agreements would protect both animal welfare and domestic farmers
WTO rules complicate but do not prevent welfare-based trade measures
Consumer labeling of country of origin and production system enables informed choice

Welfare Considerations

Trade policy is a powerful but underutilized tool for animal welfare. Allowing imports from countries with lower welfare standards while requiring domestic producers to meet higher standards is both unfair and counterproductive to welfare goals.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for welfare equivalence requirements in trade agreements
Advocate for mandatory origin and production system labeling for meat products
Choose domestically produced pork from welfare-certified sources where available