HANOI, Viet Nam—Leading international experts on pig farming, behavior and animal welfare will gather online on Nov. 22 and 29 for the “Group Housing of Sows—The Future of Pig Production in Viet Nam and Globally” webinar series. It will give food companies, pig farmers, financial institutions, government officials and academic institutions a unique opportunity for a deep dive into case studies, data and best practices showcasing group housing as the more compassionate choice instead of extreme confinement of mother pigs.
Southeast Asia is one of the largest pig farming regions in the world, accounting for nearly 5 million sows living on farms in 2021.
There is growing demand from food corporations and financial institutions for higher animal welfare production systems. Group-housing, a higher animal welfare system than confining gestating sows, is internationally and scientifically recognized as the better system for sow welfare, and as pig farmers upgrade outdated equipment, now is the time to embrace the coming market changes.
These two Zoom webinars will be conducted at 20:00-21:30 on Nov. 22 and 29, 2023 (Hanoi, Bangkok time, GMT+7) with presentations in English and live translation to Vietnamese. People who work in or with the food industry or pig farming are welcome to register for the event here.
Jackie Groberski, manager of corporate and financial institution engagement at Humane Society International, says: “Improving animal welfare is an advantageous business decision that aligns with global sustainability efforts. It’s essential that companies, financial institutions and other interest holders understand that group housing for breeding pigs is the future.”
Humane Society International’s work to improve the welfare of animals in agriculture is science-based and collaborative. The organization works with companies, farmers, processors, financial institutions, scientists and certifiers to support a transition to cage-free housing systems, and offers a wide range of support to companies including farm visits, consumer education and corporate roundtables and workshops to enhance their supply chains.
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Media contact: Hang Le, Southeast Asia regional farm animal welfare program manager, hanglt@hsi.org
