The UK Pig Industry Welfare Training platform was launched earlier this month. The first module focusses on the moving and handling of pigs.

The training must be completed by everyone involved in the care, moving and handling of pigs on-farm by 31 August 2022 as part of Red Tractor standards.

“Having a professional workforce across UK farms underpins everything that we stand for, and ultimately this training is about reassuring consumers that Red Tractor pork has been farmed with care," said Georgina McDowell, technical manager for pigs at Red Tractor.

“We have long required producers to maintain training records, but this platform represents a step forward in terms of providing a unified and consistent standard of pig care across the industry," she added.

“We fully understand that the pig sector faces a difficult time, and this training is a vital part of giving shoppers the confidence to buy British pork," added Red Tractor’s Pigs Scheme Chair Stewart Houston.

Upon successful completion of the training, a certificate will be issued that can be saved for Red Tractor audits and on PigPro, the industry’s online training record. The moving and handling module takes 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete, though delegates will be able to pause and save their progress as they go along.

Rob Beckett, a producer from Yorkshire, has been involved in testing the training with his team. “The feedback that I have received from our stockpeople has all been positive," said Beckett. "Every one of them has admitted that they have learnt something, including a couple who have more than 25 years’ experience in the industry. And they have all said that the software is straightforward to navigate and is laid out in a simple format.”

The online training was developed by AHDB in collaboration with Red Tractor, the National Pig Association (NPA), the Pig Veterinary Society, the Pig Health and Welfare Council, and pig producers.

The moving and handling course is the first module to be released on the platform, with further subjects likely to be released over future years.