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Better Pork
October 2016
earned by the Star Meat,” says Erik
Kam, the Council’s head of trade and
marketing relations.
Taking a look at the cost of pork
in Copenhagen this summer indi-
cates that the premium would price
the equivalent of a pound of pork
chops (454 g) between C$7.00 and
$9.40, depending on the class of
store.
The planned two-star label would,
says Kam, require a 30 per cent
bonus above standard price. Qualifi-
cations for earning two stars include
30 per cent more floor space per hog
(for example, over 0.8 square metres)
in the last weeks up to slaughter.
Additional straw in the pen as play
material to reduce aggression is also
on the required list for this label.
There’s no premium suggested so
far for the three-star welfare level.
The top label will require floor space
to be 50 per cent over standard.
Conservative calculations indicate
a doubling of the standard retail
price is possible because there’s a lot
of extra input including free-range
conditions for the suckling sows that
mean they are outdoors year round.
Although this standard allows wean-
ers and feeders to be grown and fed
in barns, the animals must have daily
access to outdoor runs too.
Interestingly, the Danish Agricul-
ture and Food Council plans right
from the start to allow pork products
from swine reared in other countries
PORK
LABELLING
A major player in the planned star rating labels for Danish pork is the country’s leading slaughter and processing company Danish
Crown. The rating program’s aim is to financially reward farmers for producing hogs with extra input in welfare and housing and to
give consumers the choice of paying for a range of production standards.
Danish Crown