INTERPORC – the Spanish Inter-Professional Agri-Food Organization for White Pork – is a non-profit entity that represents the entire white pork sector in Spain. Comprising 11 different associations and organizations, INTERPORC represents production, processing, and marketing in the white pork sector – which is to say the meat from white-skinned pigs. INTERPORC is considered Spain’s largest interprofessional organization in the meat sector and became a GLOBALG.A.P. supplier member in August 2020.
International significance and contributions against rural depopulation
The white pork sector is one of the most important economic sectors in Spain. In fact, Spain is the number one pork producer in the EU, the 4th largest in the world, and the 2nd largest exporter of pork worldwide, reaching more than 130 countries. In addition, the sector provides more than 400,000 jobs which are vital for supporting the rural population and maintaining the social and cultural heritage represented by the thousands of small towns scattered throughout Spain.
A production model based on sustainability
The Spanish white pork sector embodies ”modern livestock handling”: professionalized, innovative, respectful of the sensitivity and needs of the animals, and focused on caring for the environment and reducing environmental impact. To this end, greenhouse gas emissions for each kilo of meat produced have been reduced by 41% between 2005 and 2020.
INTERPORC and certification
Besides supporting GLOBALG.A.P. certification, INTERPORC has also created the Interporc Animal Welfare Spain (IAWS) certification seal to endorse the good practices carried out in the fields of animal welfare, health, biosecurity, animal handling, and traceability in all links of Spain’s white pork value chain – from farm, transport, and slaughter to industry and commercialization. A collaboration agreement between GLOBALG.A.P. and INTERPORC lays out a plan for an integrity program to provide quality control of IAWS audits.Third-party certification and the incorporation of IAWS-certified operators into the GLOBALG.A.P. database are also planned. “Thanks to the collaboration with GLOBALG.A.P., the IAWS animal welfare protocol and companies that achieve the IAWS certification will enjoy enhanced visibility and ensure food safety,” says Daniel de Miguel, Deputy Director of INTERPORC.
For further information, please visit the INTERPORC websites: