January 18, 2021

New quality label for Belgian pork launched

Belpork vzw, a Belgium-based industry organistion that promotes the sustainable consumption of Belgian pork, has launched BePork, a new quality system that combines its quality labels Certus and Codiplan Plus.

BePork stands for quality pork from Belgian soil. The new label guarantees local production from pig to fork by uniting all sectors of the production chain including animal feed manufacturers, pig farmers, transport companies, slaughterhouses, cutting plants, meat processors and points of sale.

The membership base of BePork is currently growing. BePork has 2,695 pig farmers, 100 transport companies, 12 slaughterhouses and 27 cutting plants.

In addition to the existing legal basis for safe and high-quality meat, BePork offers extra guarantees.

"Animal welfare, sustainability and animal health are central to this," said chairman and VLAM CEO Filip Fontaine. "This is reflected in pig farmers, for example, by an intensive monitoring of the health of their animals together with their veterinarian. Extra efforts ensure comfort in the barn, during transport and at slaughter."

BePork will be implemented in a trade-oriented way. It serves as an additional asset for the export of Belgian pork to third countries.

"(BePork) is equivalent to the German quality system", said Fontaine. "In concrete terms, this means that the export of pork and live pigs to Germany is guaranteed without additional requirements."

- Vilt (Belgium)