Pig Welfare in Global Trade: Exporting Standards

Overview of pig welfare standard export through trade, certification, and global supply chains.

Key Facts

Global pig trade creates welfare standard arbitrage risks between high and low standard countries
Certification schemes enable welfare standard communication across supply chains
EU welfare legislation drives global standard setting through market access conditions
Consumer markets in Europe and North America increasingly require welfare assurance
Harmonising global pig welfare standards is a long-term advocacy and trade policy goal

Welfare Considerations

Global pig trade creates both risks and opportunities for welfare standard propagation. Market access conditions from high-welfare-standard importing regions can drive welfare improvements in exporting countries. Certification schemes communicate welfare standards across complex supply chains. The risk is that trade liberalisation creates downward pressure on domestic welfare standards through competition from lower-welfare imports. Welfare conditionality in trade agreements is the policy tool for preventing this outcome.

What You Can Do

Support Compassion in World Farming trade policy advocacy work
Advocate for welfare conditionality in international trade agreements covering pig products
Choose pork from certified sources that maintain welfare standards regardless of production country