Changing Production Requirements

In the past the pork industry has responded to economic and market pressures by reducing the cost of pork in real terms and providing a wide range of quality products. Over the next decade we will see an increasing focus on meeting consumer demands in the areas of food safety, animal welfare and the environment, mirroring the trends that have been seen in Europe over the last 15 years. This will necessitate some changes to production practices and the development of credible "farm to plate" quality assurance schemes.

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The process of developing QA schemes and changing production practices to satisfy retailer and consumer demands in Europe has not been a smooth one because of the differing views and interests of the food chain participants. Some of the lessons learned:

1. Understand consumer attitudes in detail – what they know about production practices and which aspects concern them – and take this into account.
2. Work together with processors and retailers on standards. Find out what they want now and are likely to want in future. Agree upon standards and time scales so that everyone can support them and, if necessary, defend them.
3. Be proactive with food chain partners in developing QA systems and improving standards, otherwise change may be forced upon you.
4. Phase in agreed changes over a period of time so that producers know in advance what is required, especially if this involves changes to facilities.
5. Move towards using group housing for sows if building a new barn or remodeling – this will increase marketing opportunities in future. There is enough experience to draw on in Europe to ensure that group systems are neither more expensive or less productive than stalls.
6. Use the scheme to identify the product to consumers and increase confidence by use of a "quality mark" – link this to advertising and promotion.
7. Don’t expect a premium for the product. Industry integrated schemes set the baseline for product quality.
8. Sell the benefits of the system effectively to producers who often do not understand the market beyond the farm gate.
9. Don’t give the consumer too much detail about production practices unless they ask specifically.
   

Changes in production practices will best be applied by business structures which involve integration, cooperation, or alliances between producers, processors and the retail level. This will result in the development of dedicated supply chains with defined production and quality standards, supplying branded, added value or convenience products to the consumer. Business models which result in a value chain, where participants work together to maximize the profit in the chain, will replace the traditional, antagonistic relationships between producer, processor and retailer.