Pigs in Focus: New report Assesses 70% of Brazilian Pork Production and Animal Welfare Progress

JBS, BRF, and Pamplona lead the ranking among the 16 largest companies in the country, Frimesa stands out with the largest number of commitments in the year, and Aurora drops two points

The third edition of the report Pigs in Focus: Monitor of the Brazilian Pork Industry was released by international NGO Sinergia Animal. The publication presents an analysis of the 16 largest pork producers and processors in Brazil and their animal welfare policies, assessing the sector's progress in ending practices that cause animal suffering.

In total, the evaluated companies represent approximately 70% of the country’s pork production. Eight companies were evaluated for the first time in this edition, including Marfrig, Minerva, Nutribras, and Ecofrigo, expanding the monitoring scope and reinforcing the commitment to transparency in the production chain.

Among the main advances, the report highlights Frimesa as the one that presented the most new animal welfare policies this year, rising from category F to C in the ranking after committing to ban painful procedures on piglets — teeth clipping and disbudding, ear notching and surgical castration. BRF, Pamplona and JBS continue to lead the ranking with 15 points each, remaining in category B. Aurora, on the other hand, dropped two points and fell from category D to E. Contrary to its competitors BRF and JBS, the company has not yet signaled any intention to ban ear cropping or adopt the crate-free system for new units. 

"Despite being the third largest pork producer in Brazil, Aurora has been performing well below expectations. It’s concerning that a company of this magnitude continues to perpetuate practices that cause intense and prolonged suffering to thousands of animals, such as the continued use of gestation crates. The Brazilian swine industry has the opportunity to lead by example, adopting practices aligned with global expectations of animal welfare”, points out Cristina Diniz, director of Sinergia Animal in Brazil.

Animal suffering and risks to public health

The report shows that tail docking and the indiscriminate use of antimicrobials also remain common practices in the country. Both are examples of palliative solutions that ignore structural problems, such as the stress caused by high-density confinement. Up to 75% of antibiotics sold globally are used in livestock farming, and in Brazil, consumption is alarming: the average of 358 mg/kg of pig produced is double the world average.

The use of antibiotics in healthy animals is directly linked to the rise in antimicrobial resistance — a threat that could cause up to 10 million deaths per year worldwide by 2050, according to the World Health Organization. “The pork industry needs to acknowledge that antimicrobial resistance is not just a technical issue, but an ethical and public health crisis. Policies that restrict the use of antibiotics to cases of real need are an essential step to protect not only animals, but also our society,” says Diniz.

For the director of Sinergia Animal Brasil, the report shows that Brazilian pig farming is still lagging behind international standards. Countries such as the United Kingdom and Norway, for example, have already banned the use of gestation crates completely. “We hope that the results of this latest ‘Pigs in Focus’ inspire Brazil to implement structural changes that align the sector with international animal welfare standards and the growing demand for ethical responsibility and sustainability,” concludes Diniz.

Download the report at:

_Pigs Monitor 2024 - EN.pdf

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