031133 National Pork Board Adopt Welfare ResolutionFriday, November 14, 2003The National Pork Board recently adopted a resolution regarding the Swine Welfare Assurance Program as "the science-based, implementable and sustainable industry standard for assuring the welfare of pigs of all ages on the farm." The resolution, adopted at the board's quarterly meeting in Des Moines on Nov. 11, encourages pork producers to continue addressing welfare on the farm through participation in the program. SWAP was developed with the input of national and international experts in animal husbandry, caretaker training, physiology, behavior, handling, production and veterinary medicine. Because SWAP is producer implementable, it can serve as a valid, defensible and cost-effective alternative to third-party audits that could be developed and imposed on producers by those not familiar with pork production, Christensen said. SWAP gives an objective on-farm assessment of animal welfare and can answer concerns about welfare from customers throughout the pork chain.
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