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This fact emerged from an analysis presented by the Product Boards for Livestock, Meat and Eggs (PVE) at the fourth EUREPGAP conference, which was held in Madrid in mid-September.

The IKB system for pigmeat was introduced in 1992 and since then has continued to expand and improve. The system includes regulations in the areas of food safety, animal health, hygiene, welfare, transport and traceability for every link in the production chain. More than 90% of Dutch pigmeat is now produced in accordance with IKB standards. In the past comparative surveys have repeatedly shown that the IKB system is one of the best-rated schemes in Europe.

As part of the EUREPGAP project, standards are being developed for safe and sustainable agriculture. The project was originally launched by the Euro-Retailer Produce Working Group (EUREP). A normative document has been drawn up for agricultural production of fruit and vegetables; a similar document is currently being prepared for animal production.

In Madrid Hans Schouwenburg, IKB Project Manager at the PVE, presented a comparison between the IKB requirements and the proposed EUREPGAP criteria. The IKB system imposes much more rigorous requirements than EUREPGAP in relation to hygiene, pig housing and controlling the use of veterinary medicines. EUREPGAP includes several requirements in the area of social policy and environmental protection that are not covered under IKB. In this respect Dutch legislation does, however, appear to meet the EUREPGAP requirements easily.

The Dutch pig industry welcomes international co-operation in the area of quality control. Over the next month the industry will look at how it can help develop the EUREPGAP criteria further.

Source: Dutch Meat Board - 9th September 2003