Pig industry develops vital pig husbandry in a healthy living environment

A healthy living environment, closed cycles, healthy animals, animal-friendly husbandry, an attractive revenue model and contributions towards a better climate. These are the ambitions of Dutch pig farming. To achieve these ambitions, pig farmers, supplying and processing companies, customers and authorities have joined forces in the ‘Coalition Vitalization Pig Husbandry’, the Dutch coalition for vitalization of the pig industry. One of the coalition partners, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, today took a step by submitting the ‘Subsidy arrangements restructuring pig husbandry (SVR)’ for consultation.

The Coalition Vitalization Pig Husbandry is a chain-wide collaborative venture of parties across the pig supply chain: Producers’ organisation Pig Husbandry (POV), Rabobank, Vion, Agrifirm, ForFarmers, Topigs Norsvin and the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. Former Minister Uri Rosenthal is its independent chairman.

Approach of the Coalition Vitalization Pig Husbandry
The Coalition’s main objective is vital pig husbandry. This means developing new revenue models, accelerated manure valorisation, innovations in stables, and investments in supply chain information systems. The approach also offers a number of pig farms that cause a lot of nuisance for neighbours an arrangement under which they have the option to stop. The final objective is a transparent and collaborative supply chain with a solid market position.

The Coalition’s approach has been encapsulated in five ambitions with which to achieve vital pig husbandry. The ambitions result in concrete actions that have been or will shortly be rolled out by pig farmers, supplying and processing companies, customers and authorities. These ambitions are:

Proper care for the living environment: Pig husbandry that causes no detrimental effects (e.g. odour nuisance) to neighbours of pig farms, pig farmers and their employees. Pig farms are fireproof and reinforce the structure of a vital countryside.

Central position in the circular economy: the position of the pig as the ultimate circular animal that converts products which are not fit for human consumption (e.g. residual flows from the food industry) into high-quality food is further reinforced. Pig manure is a valuable basis for green energy, a soil improver and a substitute for fossil fertiliser.

Acknowledged contribution to climate and energy transition: the pig industry is developing a climate-neutral pork production. The industry is committed to energy production from non-fossil sources (e.g. solar panels on stables) and energy saving. That way, the pig supply chain contributes to realisation of the objectives from the National Climate and Energy Plan.

Robust and healthy pigs in animal-friendly farms: The industry is a global frontrunner in animal health, animal well-being and animal-friendly transport. Pig farms with healthy and resilient pigs, without systematic use of medication.

Global frontrunner in market-centricity and supply chain cooperation: the pig supply chain excels in the development of demand-driven supply chains and new market concepts. The industry holds a strong global export position. The basis for future-proof pig husbandry with the financial leeway for investments in sustainability and circular agriculture.

Follow-up
The Coalition will set out the five ambitions in concrete and dynamic work plans, with which the industry builds on vital pig farming on an ongoing basis.