News article, 23. April 2024

Danish pigs set new standards for animal welfare in EU

Denmark’s pig production initiative sets new standards and raises the bar for the EU’s animal welfare standards, with a focus on loose housing.

Denmark is raising the bar as regards animal welfare through the adoption of an ambitious and comprehensive animal welfare agreement that sets new standards for pig production. Denmark is therefore setting the benchmark for animal welfare in Europe and underlines Denmark’s commitment to promoting animal welfare and sustainability in agriculture.

The agreement, which was concluded on 8 February, is the outcome of broad political support across parties in the Danish parliament that share the desire to raise the standard of animal welfare in Denmark. Erik Larsen, Chairman of the Danish Agriculture and Food Council Pig Sector, says: "If we are to plan our production for the future, we need to know what the future requirements are. With broad political agreement on the future of animal welfare for Danish pigs, we achieve predictability and a long-term framework.” A future, therefore, with clear guidelines is a sustainable future, where sustainability and animal welfare go hand in hand.

The new rules in Denmark require all newly built farrowing pens to be designed for loose housing, while the use of traditional stalls will gradually be phased out during a transition period. To ensure the safety of new-born pigs however, protective rails will be permitted in the first days after birth. The agreement also sets out a financial incentive scheme, which provides a bonus to farmers who raise pigs with intact tails. The new initiatives will ensure that Denmark sets new standards for animal welfare that exceed the current EU requirements.

With the new agreement, Denmark is taking an ambitious approach to animal welfare, particularly in the light of the EU’s hesitancy towards - and postponement of - an animal welfare agreement. The initiative from the Danish side is a clear call to the EU to start working towards harmonising animal welfare standards across Europe. The agreement highlights Denmark’s position as a pioneering country in the industry, ready to tackle the challenges and costs involved in promoting agriculture that is both sustainable and constantly developing in terms of animal welfare.