Welfare Science

Farmed Pig Welfare and Common Ground

Finding common ground between welfare advocates and the pork industry to accelerate practical improvement.

Key Facts

The pork industry and welfare advocates share more values than their public positions suggest
Both groups care about pig health and want to prevent disease and injury
Economic arguments for welfare improvement resonate with producers in ways ethical arguments may not
Pilot programs demonstrating welfare improvements without productivity loss build industry confidence
Collaborative rather than adversarial approaches have delivered welfare improvements in some countries

Welfare Considerations

Accelerating pig welfare improvement requires engaging the pork industry as a partner rather than purely as an adversary. Many welfare improvements are also economic improvements. Finding and amplifying these alignments creates pathways for practical change that confrontation alone cannot achieve.

What You Can Do

Support organizations that build collaborative relationships with pig producers on welfare
Engage constructively with producers who are willing to discuss welfare improvement
Recognize and amplify cases where welfare and production interests align