Pig Health and Welfare Council Biennial Report 2021-2022

Welcome to the sixth report from the Pig Health and Welfare Council (PHWC), which provides a synopsis of the activities of the council and its constituent subgroups for 2021 and 2022.

Since the last report, the pig industry has been faced with serious challenges, but during this period, the council has been at the forefront of the co-design with Defra of the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway for England (AHW Pathway), ensuring the pig industry has access to government funding to enhance the vet/producer relationship and empower producers to identify, control, reduce or eliminate specific endemic diseases commencing with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS).

The council’s role in bringing members of the entire pork chain together has been critical in the decision-making process and contributed to The Pathway being successfully launched at the beginning of 2023.

The council has strived to achieve the ongoing objectives around supporting the pig industry to enhance the health of the pig herd to enable a reduction in the use of antibiotics, the assurance that pork products are safe to eat, and the welfare need of our pigs have been met. The council greatly appreciates the work and collaboration of those across the pork chain throughout Great Britain (GB). In addition, the council wishes to thank all those organisations that allow their expert staff to attend meetings and take work projects forward. This expertise and commitment to pig health and welfare are integral to the council’s success.