As part of its commitment to produce a sustainable protein choice, the National Pork Board has published new sustainability goals and data-driven metrics for the industry along with its first-ever sustainability report.
The goals, developed in consultation with pork producers, build on the industry’s established We Care ethical principles and include, by 2030, reducing GHG emissions by 40% from a 2015 baseline and ensuring that 100% of fresh pork products will be traceable through the supply chain.
The pork industry has already made good progress in reducing its environmental impact over the years. A Pork Checkoff-funded life cycle analysis of pork production between 1960 and 2015 found that pig farmers cut their land, water and energy use by 75%, 25% and 7%, respectively, resulting in a nearly 8% smaller environmental footprint.
However, the new goals reflect pork producers’ commitment to continuous and measurable improvement. According to its inaugural sustainability report, “We’re taking an action-based and scientific approach to set benchmarks for where the pork industry is today and creating goals for how we will continue to improve in the future. Progress will be measured on the farm and across the industry using tools that will allow us all to make better, data-driven decisions.”