Organic Farming

Pigs are intelligent animals. We believe they should be raised in a way which allows them to practice their natural behaviours foraging and exploring. We believe in farms, not factories.

Naturally, pigs will root in mud for food, sniffing out plants, roots and anything else they can get their teeth in to. This means they walk, on average, 2km a day. There are approximately 500,000 sows in the UK, and between 70 to 75% of these spend their entire life indoors. With organic standards, the pigs are kept in family groups with free access to fields all year round though indoor housing is permitted in severe weather conditions, provided that there is plenty of straw bedding for the pigs, and continued access to an outdoor run.

Organic farming standards ban practises that are common in non-organic pig farming. These include nose ringing - this is used to prevent pigs from natural rooting behaviour,
tail docking - pigs in confined spaces often bite each other’s tails so non-organic producers dock tails to prevent this from happening, farrowing crates - these are small metal cage only inches wider than the female pig, which are used around the time she gives birth to restrict her movement and prevent her from following maternal instincts and the routine use of antibiotics on organic animals is banned. Many non-organic pigs, poultry and dairy cows receive antibiotics routinely, whether or not they are unwell.

To put things simply, by choosing organic pork, you are placing your vote for organic farming standards.

For more information on organic pig farming, please click here.



Information sourced from soilassociation.org