Pasture raised free range pigs
Pigs are incredibly intelligent and social animals and we believe that they deserve better than a life of confinement. If the picture above fits nicely with your perceptions of what a free range pig looks like, then we are united on the meaning of true free range.
The industrial pork production model is in clear contrast to the holistic approach to farming that pastured free range producers engage in. We use the word engage because to raise pigs on pasture you need to do just that, engage with the pigs and understand their uniqueness, engage with the environment and work to sustain and improve it as part of a farm ecosystem and engage with the consumer to understand what they expect from the farmer and to educate them about people friendly, animal friendly and planet friendly farming.
The industrial pork production model is in clear contrast to the holistic approach to farming that pastured free range producers engage in. We use the word engage because to raise pigs on pasture you need to do just that, engage with the pigs and understand their uniqueness, engage with the environment and work to sustain and improve it as part of a farm ecosystem and engage with the consumer to understand what they expect from the farmer and to educate them about people friendly, animal friendly and planet friendly farming.
Knowing how to read the labels
Not all free range pork is created equal. Claims abound when it comes to free range because we do not have a legal definition for the term..... yet. To put it simply, you will not find genuine pastured free range pork on the supermarket shelves. What you will find in supermarkets is 'bred' free range, a system of production that allows the sow to live outdoors but raises her piglets in sheds or large shelters. Bred Free Range or Outdoor Bred have now been found to be misleading by the ACCC and can no longer be used to describe pork. If you are seeking pork from pigs that was raised outdoors on pasture then your best option is to shop at your local butcher, deli, green grocer or Farmer's Market. Ask for PROOF that the pigs were raised on pasture in open fields or paddocks.
Want to know more about raising free range pigs?
Visit www.australianpigfarmer.com.au for your guide to raising free range pastured pork.
Is is free range? Ask for PROOF
And ask for Pastured! It is so difficult to see through all the feel good fluffy descriptors on any free range product! Look for pork, chicken and eggs that are certified so that you know the label claims are genuine. Farm certification means that an independent party has audited against a particular standard. Making sure you understand just what those standards mean is explained under the 'Compare the Brands' button above.
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