Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Welfare Benchmarking Between Farms

Comparative welfare benchmarking between farms provides the competitive and collaborative context that drives sustained welfare improvement.

Key Facts

Farm benchmarking systems allow comparison of welfare outcomes against sector averages and best performers
Benchmarking creates both competitive motivation and peer learning opportunities for welfare improvement
UK assurance schemes like Red Tractor are beginning to incorporate welfare outcome measures
Retailer benchmarking requirements create transparency and accountability in supply chains
Academic partnerships with assurance bodies enable rigorous welfare data analysis

Welfare Considerations

Farm benchmarking transforms welfare assessment from a pass-fail compliance exercise into a continuous improvement process. When farms can see how they compare to peers on welfare outcomes, both competitive and collaborative improvement mechanisms are activated.

What You Can Do

Support certification schemes incorporating welfare benchmarking and data transparency
Advocate for welfare outcome data sharing across pig supply chains
Choose pork from supply chains with demonstrated welfare improvement over time