At the annual Good Pig Production Awards in Westminster, on Wednesday 18 November, the outgoing president made one thing abundantly clear: the West has a deep-rooted misconception about China’s attitude to welfare standards of livestock.
“Industry experts, farm owners and even some consumers know more about pig welfare requirements – such as no sow stalls, no teeth-clipping, no tail-docking, and the provision of appropriate bedding [in China],” said Chunling.
She credits the welfare enlightenment to Compassion in World Farming’s (CiWF) Good Pig Awards, which have had a “very positive effect” on the Chinese market.
'Remarkable change'
At the event, eight representatives travelled from China to be presented with awards for excellence in pig welfare, with food industry leaders like Sainsbury’s and BQP also giving speeches on animal welfare.
China is the largest producer of pigs and rears approximately 726m per year – more than 50% of the world’s pig population, and five times more than its closest competitor, the US.
Speaking at the event Dr Tracey Jones, director of food business at CiWF, said: “Our work in China has been intricately linked to our effective partnership with the ICCAW… to date nearly one million pigs are set to benefit each year through welfare improvements in China.”
Chunling added she hoped the Good Pig Awards helped tell the story of “remarkable changes that demonstrate significant progress in China”.