Abstract
This chapter presents the analysis and findings of empirical research in the Danish pig-pork-bacon supply chain. The focus is on ethical concerns and traceability systems.
While still increasing, pig production in Denmark has consolidated in recent years, although environmental regulations limit farm size. More than 95% of pig production is slaughtered through two producer-owned co-operatives, with the largest, Danish Crown, accounting for 90% of the slaughter (DS, 2005). The Danish pork industry incorporates several inconsistencies. While it remains an almost wholly farmer-owned and -controlled supply chain, the slaughtering and processing sector is highly concentrated, giving farmers little alternative to membership in one of the two dominant co-ops.
In this chapter we will first of all provide an overview of the supply chain and its development into its present form. We also present some of the main ethical concerns in the sector. Obviously, animal welfare is a central ethical concern in the pig-pork-bacon chain, but the use of antimicrobial growth promoters and working conditions will also be discussed. The findings of the project’s qualitative research are then discussed, first in relation to the project’s ten identified ethical concerns and then to the broader issues involved in the use of information in the chain. Finally, the chapter will discuss the implications of the research for traceability and ethical traceability.
While still increasing, pig production in Denmark has consolidated in recent years, although environmental regulations limit farm size. More than 95% of pig production is slaughtered through two producer-owned co-operatives, with the largest, Danish Crown, accounting for 90% of the slaughter (DS, 2005). The Danish pork industry incorporates several inconsistencies. While it remains an almost wholly farmer-owned and -controlled supply chain, the slaughtering and processing sector is highly concentrated, giving farmers little alternative to membership in one of the two dominant co-ops.
In this chapter we will first of all provide an overview of the supply chain and its development into its present form. We also present some of the main ethical concerns in the sector. Obviously, animal welfare is a central ethical concern in the pig-pork-bacon chain, but the use of antimicrobial growth promoters and working conditions will also be discussed. The findings of the project’s qualitative research are then discussed, first in relation to the project’s ten identified ethical concerns and then to the broader issues involved in the use of information in the chain. Finally, the chapter will discuss the implications of the research for traceability and ethical traceability.
| Originalsprog | Engelsk |
|---|---|
| Titel | Ethical Traceability and Communicating Food |
| Redaktører | Christian Coff, Michiel Korthals, David Barling, Thorkild Nielsen |
| Antal sider | 40 |
| Forlag | Springer Science+Business Media |
| Publikationsdato | 2008 |
| Sider | 83-123 |
| Kapitel | 5 |
| ISBN (Trykt) | 978-1-4020-8523-9 |
| ISBN (Elektronisk) | 978-1-4020-8524-6 |
| DOI | |
| Status | Udgivet - 2008 |
| Udgivet eksternt | Ja |
| Navn | The International Library of Environmental, Agricultural and Food Ethics |
|---|---|
| Vol/bind | 15 |
| ISSN | 1570-3010 |