Welfare Science

Pig Welfare Global Vision

A global vision for pig welfare acknowledges the scale of the challenge - 1.4 billion pigs annually - and charts a path toward meaningful improvement across all production contexts.

Key Facts

Approximately 1.4 billion pigs are raised and slaughtered globally each year
The majority face poor welfare conditions with minimal legal protection
Global welfare improvement requires capacity building in high-growth production regions
Trade policy, consumer market signals and international welfare standards are the primary levers
A 50% improvement in the proportion of pigs in high-welfare systems would benefit 700 million animals annually

Welfare Considerations

The scale of global pig welfare is almost incomprehensible, but the pathways to improvement are identifiable. Combining systemic policy change, consumer market pressure and producer support enables progress at global scale.

What You Can Do

Support international organisations working on pig welfare in rapid-development production regions
Engage with trade policy advocacy that includes animal welfare equivalence requirements
Make welfare-motivated pork purchasing decisions consistently to contribute to market signals