"The entire pork supply chain has a role in building and maintaining trust in the industry and that effort starts with those who raise the pigs," says Megan Sprague, program director for the Michigan Pork Producers Association (MPPA), who is responsible for administering MPPA's We Care initiative and Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA Plus) program.  "From facility owners to animal caretakers to drivers who transport hogs, everyone has the responsibility to do his or her part to demonstrate a commitment to responsible pork production."

'We Care' initiative demonstrates pork producer accountability

Sprague says this begins with a pledge to uphold a core set of ethical principles that make clear the industry's values in food safety, animal well-being, worker safety, community outreach and protection of both the environment and public health.

The We Care  initiative is a joint effort of the Pork Checkoff, through the National Pork Board, and the National Pork Producers Council, that was developed to help demonstrate that producers are accountable to established ethical principles and animal well-being practices.

By affirming these principles, America's pork producers acknowledge their responsibility to:
•Produce safe food
•Protect and promote animal well-being
•Ensure practices to protect public health
•Safeguard natural resources in all of our practices
•Provide a work environment that is safe and consistent with our other ethical principles
•Contribute to a better quality of life in our communities

The pork industry already offers numerous programs, including Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA Plus) and Transport Quality Assurance (TQA), to support animal well-being and maintain a safe, high-quality supply of pork.  The We Care  initiative ties everything together to help the public view the pork industry as a self-regulated business that earns the trust of others.

The Pork Checkoff has provided several resources for producers to demonstrate how "We Care" on a daily basis.  From open house kits to barn worker posters, these resources are a great way for producers to train farm workers on the six ethical principles.  We Care^SM   is an initiative that expresses the way producers and employees conduct themselves and ensure they are doing the right thing each and every day. 

Sprague says producers can access the resources by going to www.pork.org/care-resources/ and consumers can learn more about the consumer aspects of the We Care^SM   initiative by visiting porkcares.com.