KDV

Real solutions for real farmers

The Sustainable Pork Value Chain (KDV) advocates sustainable pig farming, enabling everyone to enjoy responsibly raised pork. By sustainable, we mean: continuous improvements in animal welfare and the environment. This involves a comprehensive approach, which distinguishes us from single-issue initiatives. We are a 100% Dutch chain, with more than 250 affiliated farms, meat processors, butchers and retailers.

Articles

Read more about what’s on our mind

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Maths lesson with the pigs

You won't often find teacher Willem Verwoerd in the classroom when the school bell rings. More often than not, he's on the farm of father and son Henk and Christian van den Broek in Lunteren. There's no need for desks or smart boards here. The sty is his classroom.

July 22, 2026
General

Our publications

View our recent publications here

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KDV Magazine #5
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KDV Magazine #4
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KDV Magazine #3
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KDV Magazine #1

Bacon: millimetreperfect craftsmanship

For many Britons, the day begins with bacon. In cafés, pubs and kitchens throughout the country, rashers sizzle in the pan as part of the famous full English breakfast. What's less well known is that much of that bacon comes from the Netherlands. Almost all the bacon Westfort produces is sold to the UK.

July 22, 2026
General

KDV shows that further reduction in antibiotic use is possible

The Dutch pig-farming sector has made great progress over the last fifteen years, with antibiotic use down by 68% since 2009. Even so, the latest report from the Netherlands Veterinary Medicines Institute (SDa) indicates that this progress has stagnated recently. The KDV figures tell a different story. The 2024 figures show that farms in the KDV value chain consistently score below the national average, proving that further reduction in antibiotic use really is possible.

July 22, 2026
General

The primal instinct to build a nest

The revised brochure on environmental enrichment and nest-building material for pigs sets out the criteria for enrichment material in the sty in more concrete terms. One of the key principles is meeting the pig's need to root and explore. But sows have another equally important behavioural need in which environmental enrichment plays a role: the instinct to build a nest.

July 22, 2026
General

Monitoring for better sty climate management

Ensuring a good climate inside the sty is essential for animal health and performance, as well as for creating a comfortable working environment. Moreover, with the move to long tails on the horizon, it's important to ensure sty conditions are right. And yet, many climate systems still focus primarily on temperature, even though factors like CO2, humidity, ammonia, airborne dust and light have just as much influence on how animals feel and behave.

July 22, 2026
General

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Approach

Well on our way to practical and scalable

Since our foundation in 1997, we have been collaborating with knowledge institutions, the private sector and the government. We pursue these joint efforts with the aim of continuing to improve the Sustainable Pork Value Chain and maintain access to effective solutions, both now and in the future. Together, we explore where we have room for improvement. Our approach is based on setting up innovative projects – within the context of the various themes – and ultimately putting the outcomes into practice at all the participating pig farms.

The 8 KDV themes
Foundation

About KDV

Certification

All KDV partners work according to stringent requirements of environmental protection, animal welfare and animal health. De Hoeve Certificering audits whether the partners meet these standards, and deploys its own extensive experience in pig farming to support current and new chain partners in implementing the criteria, according to a practice-driven approach.

More on certification

Our foundation

The Sustainable Pork Value Chain (KDV) advocates sustainable pig farming, enabling everyone to enjoy responsibly raised pork. By sustainable, we mean: continuous improvements in animal welfare and the environment. This involves a comprehensive approach, which distinguishes us from single-issue initiatives. We are a 100% Dutch chain, with more than 300 affiliated farms, meat processors, butchers and retailers.

More on the KDV Foundation
Partners

Innovation is a joint effort

Since our foundation in 1997, we have been collaborating with knowledge institutions, the private sector and the government. We pursue these joint efforts with the aim of continuing to improve the Sustainable Pork Value Chain and maintain access to effective solutions, both now and in the future. Together, we explore where we have room for improvement. Our approach is based on setting up innovative projects, within the context of the various themes.