PIC and the National Pork Board are teaming up to develop a framework that will help demonstrate the valuable role genetics play in creating a more sustainable protein supply.
Choosing the right genetics is critical to producing healthier, more resilient pigs, PIC said in a release. Not only do healthy pigs typically eat better, but they also use less water and reach market weight sooner. This results in significant environmental benefits. However, up until now, the pork industry has not been able to quantify these benefits to the environment accomplished through genetic improvements. Genetics have not been accounted for in corporate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting or utilized as an intervention to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the company adds.
“Corporations are increasingly interested in addressing climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. When we use genetic improvements to increase the health and resilience of our herds, it improves feed efficiency and reduces waste, making protein production more sustainable,” Bill Christianson, chief operating officer of PIC, said in a release. “We’re proud to be collaborating with National Pork Board to establish a framework that will show genetic improvements are an effective way to mitigate emissions, allowing corporations to claim greenhouse gas reductions.”
Aggressive climate pledges are causing many food system stakeholders to seek opportunities to mitigate their environmental footprints. They will need to reduce Scope 3 GHG emissions resulting from their up and downstream value chain partners, including pork producers, PIC said. The framework will establish a standardized process for corporations to understand and measure how genetic improvements make pork production more efficient, supporting their climate commitments.
“America’s 60,000-plus pig farmers are dedicated to building on the progress already made in the sustainability of pork production, and National Pork Board’s collaboration with PIC will create an innovative opportunity to advance this commitment,” Ashley McDonald, vice president of sustainability for National Pork Board, said in a release. “This work will create a universal framework that empowers genetics suppliers and pork producers to quantify the value of the work they’re doing to enhance the industry’s environmental performance and support their customers’ sustainability goals.”
According to PIC, they will be developing the framework with National Pork Board this fall.
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