By Jeff Pigott, NPPC vice president, industry relations
We are living in a world where consumers are more and more removed from agriculture. When it comes to topics such as animal housing, antibiotic use, supply chain consistency or even the prevention of foreign animal disease, it’s important to work with decisionmakers to help them understand the realities of pork production so we can maintain a steady supply of great tasting, nutritious pork.
An evergreen priority for the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is to enhance relationships with industry sectors from pork producers all the way to consumers. As the food supply chain is ever-changing and with consumer demands constantly in flux, we partner with industry decisionmakers and listen to their concerns. Our goal is to be a trusted source of information for all industry stakeholders including retailers, foodservice operators and packers and processors who add value to pork.
When collaborating with our partners in the food supply chain, we educate them on pork production best practices, sustainability and producers’ commitments to raising the world’s safest, most wholesome and nutritious pork products. We partner with the National Pork Board and its Retail Advisory Council which brings together leading retail decision makers from across the country. These groups engage with consumers, and we value their pulse on consumer trends and demands.
Food companies are looking for objective, scientific data to base their corporate procurement decisions on. One way NPPC continues to provide this information is by having producers host leaders from major retailers and foodservice providers on their farms and provide a firsthand perspective of the care animals receive and the commitment of pork producers to uphold the six We Care ethical principles.
When stakeholders come to a farm, see what pig farmers do, why they do it and how they do it, they walk away with a great deal of confidence and support for the care pigs receive. This firsthand education is crucial so they can better navigate animal rights extremists. Over the last few years, NPPC has worked with food suppliers to form welfare advisory groups made up of experts who can help them better understand the science and the practices used in the pork industry.
Sow housing has been a key issue for the food supply chain and has been the focus of activist shareholder activity with major chains. NPPC helped defeat extremist resolutions at McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Kroger, Wal-Mart and other companies. In reality, these resolutions would have had negative impacts on producers, created supply chain issues and not improved the welfare conditions for the animals. As we navigate the future landscape brought on by California Proposition 12, NPPC is dedicated to advocating for pork producers to help ensure all consumers can have delicious, safe, wholesome and nutritious pork available.
