June 10, 2011

RSPCA Freedom Food-certified pork sold in Wales

The owner of British largest Welsh Pig herd has opened the first shop in Wales to exclusively sell RSPCA Freedom Food-certified pork.

The Welsh Farmyard, in Sketty near Swansea, also sells Freedom Food-certified beef and lamb, along with British chicken and Welsh pickles and mussels.

The venture stemmed from Ken Austin's involvement with a Farming Connect AgrisgÙp group, which looked at ideas for promoting the Welsh Pig breed.

Austin has 1,000 Welsh pigs, plus 165 breeding sows, at his Gower farm. The herd includes all 25 female and 11 male lines of the Welsh breed.

Meetings have been held with a major retailer to supply Welsh pork into its Welsh stores.

A local abattoir on the Gower has achieved Freedom Food accreditation, leading to shorter travelling times to slaughter and a lower carbon footprint.