Nobody gets excited when an auditor pulls into the driveway, but in an era of increasing retail pressure and global scrutiny, the Common Swine Industry Audit (CSIA) is evolving from a simple checklist into a pork producer’s most powerful shield.
The CSIA task force’s 2026 updates are the most significant overhaul in a decade, shifting from looking for flaws to benchmarking positive welfare outcomes. By aligning with international standards and providing rigorous third-party verification of on-farm care, these science-based revisions are securing the industry’s ‘freedom to operate’ and ensuring U.S. pork remains a trusted, high-quality staple in the global supply chain.
Securing ‘Freedom to Operate’
The CSIA is a tool for third-party verification, not just internal training, explains Stephanie Wetter, National Pork Board’s director of animal welfare. It provides the credible data needed to justify pork’s place in the global supply chain and protects the industry’s right to operate by meeting international standards.
“CSIA does not teach. It does not train. It is third party auditing, verifying what you’re doing on farm,” Wetter says. “This helps to protect the ‘freedom to operate’ by giving us that credible third-party voice to demonstrate how our pigs are being cared for before these requirements are dictated to us by others.”
She’s quick to add that she understands people don’t get excited about having an audit done on their farm.
“It’s not necessarily fun to think about having someone come in and basically give your farm a test,” she says. “But the CSIA is not designed to focus on your flaws, and especially with the changes in positive welfare language. This is a way to brag about the good care and production that our producers are doing on farm.”
The CSIA is an industry-led effort that gives customers and packers confidence in their suppliers and helps justify keeping those farms in their supply chain because they have that third-party verification.
“There will always be opportunities to improve,” Wetter says. “It’s just the nature of agriculture and production, and especially in an industry that is committed to continuous improvement. The CSIA helps keep those conversations focused on outcomes, learning and progress, rather than focusing on punishment or one-off issues.”
From a system perspective, Brooke Kitting, senior veterinarian at Seaboard Foods, appreciates the feedback loop the CSIA provides. While it does identify things done well, it also identifies areas that could be improved. She says having this formalized audit tool to help them deliver that feedback has helped the CSIA to become a core part of their program.
What’s Changing in the Audit
The 2026 updates to the CSIA include both revisions and clarifications to audit standards and individual questions. Key updates include:
- Animal Sampling: The animal sampling protocol was updated following recommendations from published validation research. The revised method is designed to detect at least a 0.5% occurrence at a 95% confidence level, improving data accuracy and consistency while maintaining practicality for on-farm use.
- Animal Benchmarking Question Language: Benchmarking questions were reframed to report positive welfare indicators—such as the percentage of animals walking well or in good condition—reflecting a shift toward recognizing positive affective states while maintaining transparency about welfare concerns.
- Animal Handling: Additional questions were added to capture a broader range of observed animal handling behaviors. All handling must now be performed in accordance with the site’s written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The section also includes expanded criteria for evaluating handling during transport, with added emphasis on space allowance during loading and unloading.
Kitting appreciates that the “Five Domains” of animal welfare are now being incorporated into the framework of the CSIA. The domains include nutrition, environment, health, behavioral interactions and mental state. This comprehensive framework ensures the audit tool is a true reflection of modern production.
Why ISO Compliance Clicks
The work the CSIA task force is doing to continue to improve the CSIA has a trickle-down effect to support producers’ ‘freedom to operate’ and protect their own supply chain domestically and internationally, Wetter says. In her role at National Pork Board, she interacts with all of the big retailers and food service brands.
“When we start talking about resources like PQA, PQA-plus site assessment, TQA and CSIA (which are all aligned), USDA has granted ISO compliance with all these programs,” Wetter says. “This means they are in line with the World Organization of Animal Health’s international animal welfare standards. When we start talking to our supply chain and they start hearing those words, that clicks with them.”
Coming from a production background, Wetter knows producers don’t always see that other end of these programs they participate in.
“Your participation is so incredibly valuable and meaningful to the other end of the supply chain,” Wetter says. “This is why we want them to continue to use and support these different programs.”
Kitting says it’s incredibly valuable to the Seaboard Foods system that the standards for care and pre-harvest pork safety are well defined, and everyone “sings the same song.”
“As you look at other species in the barnyard, it may not necessarily be replicated in other areas,” Kitting says. “We are incredibly fortunate in the swine industry to have all these programs that sing the same song and dance for us to follow.”
