Pilot Program for 'Pig Production Management Certification' to Provide Consumers with Specialized Information on Breed and Rearing Methods

The government has decided to certify differentiated pig farms based on breed and meat quality, and to provide this information to consumers.

On March 3, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced that, starting in 2026, it will launch a pilot program for the "Pig Production Management Certification" targeting farms specialized in breed and rearing methods at the production stage, in order to expand consumer choice through differentiated pork quality.

An official from the Ministry explained, "Currently, 98.6% of pigs raised domestically are three-way crossbreeds focused on productivity," adding, "This has limited our ability to meet the demands of consumers seeking high-quality pork and differentiated meat quality."

To address this, the Ministry will certify farms with specialized quality management systems based on scientific data, such as genetically superior breeds and customized feeding programs. Certified pork will be strictly managed through DNA testing and distribution stage monitoring to ensure it is not mixed with regular pork.

Consumers will be able to access a wide range of information in real time, including the breed, meat quality characteristics, and suggested uses by cut, by scanning the QR code attached to the packaging at the store.

Jeon Ikseong, Head of the Livestock Distribution Team at the Ministry, stated, "We will do our utmost to meet consumer demands, including segmenting the pork belly cut to address concerns about excess fat and introducing a production-stage certification system to differentiate meat quality. Through this certification, we aim to encourage farms to improve their rearing practices and enable consumers to enjoy pork of various qualities."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.