🐷Exciting new study from Dr Harriet Bartlett exploring the complex trade-offs in pig farming🐷

From greenhouse gases to animal welfare, the paper discusses how different farming systems compare. The findings challenge assumptions and highlight the need for nuanced solutions 🌱

Dr Harriet Bartlett (who lectures for our food systems, health and environment series) was interviewed on Farming Today about her new study published in Nature Food that evaluates different methods of pig-farming. Listen at bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0…

Did you ever wonder if the choices we make about farming and eating are based on solid evidence or just assumptions? Dr Harriet Bartlett 's latest research dives into this question, revealing surprising findings. Nature Food research briefing: 
nature.com/articles/s4301…

Speaking of trade-offs between animal welfare & enviro impact ...

Here's a study of pigs illustrating it.

But there were some systems that had high welfare standards AND low enviro impact. But no one label described them - it's all details.
nature.com/articles/s4301…

Research by Dr Harriet Bartlett finds there are some producers already escaping the trap: w/ GHGs, land use, antibiotics & welfare all far better than average. Learning from these facilities will take time, training, education and probably regulations too doi.org/10.1038/s43016…

Do current pork labelling schemes help consumers make informed choices?

A study published in Nature Food has evaluated different types of pig farming, here is the good news and the bad. 👇 📷Credit: Liliana Resende

bit.ly/4aUJ31W

Listen to Dr Harriet Bartlett 's interview for @BBCsounds 'Farming today' elaborating on her paper's findings & the importance of better labels for consumers to make informed choices:
bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0…
Oxford Martin School Oxford Biology Future of Food Cambridge University

Trade-offs in the externalities of pig production are not inevitable | Nature Food - Thought provoking work from ⁦Dr Harriet Bartlett⁩ and colleagues nature.com/articles/s4301…

“Current ways of classifying UK pig systems are not identifying & promoting the best-performing systems for land use, climate, AMU and animal welfare [and] labeling systems are not helping consumers to identify systems that perform well across multiple areas of societal concern.”

Lead author Dr Harriet Bartlett: “The way we classify farm types and label pork isn’t helpful for making informed decisions when it comes to buying more sustainable meat.

'Instead of focusing on farm types or practices, we need to focus on meaningful outcomes.'

Whether #organic , Red Tractor, or RSPCA assured, Dr Harriet Bartlett and team Oxford Smith School Cambridge Vet School say some farms are better than others for both pigs and planet.

And current pork labels don't help us make informed purchases.

Why this matters👇

bit.ly/4aNew6a

Pork labelling schemes are 'not helpful' in making informed buying choices, say researchers

farminguk.com/news/labelling…

“The way we classify #livestock farms must be improved, because livestock production is growing rapidly, especially #pork production, which has quadrupled in the past 50 years.“Dr Harriet Bartlett
nature.com/articles/s4301…

Very interesting piece of research in Nature Food, led by Dr Harriet Bartlett of University of Oxford.

Explores link between pig production system and environmental and welfare performance and shows how we label pork isn’t helpful for making informed decisions.

pig-world.co.uk/news/current-f…

This looks like an excellent, much-needed piece of research!

Great new study showing the complexity of defining sustainable farming (including animal welfare) in the pig sector. There are examples of good practice, but not easily defined by any existing labelling scheme.