KDV

25 years of working with and alongside pig farmers

The eight key areas we focus on every day

The Sustainable Pork Value Chain (KDV) advocates sustainable pig farming. We are a 100% Dutch chain, with more than 250 affiliated farms, meat processors, butchers, and retailers. By sustainable, we mean: continuous improvements in animal welfare and the environment. We take an integrated approach, which distinguishes us from single-issue initiatives. To ensure pig farming is sustainable for the future, we focus on the eight key areas outlined below. You can read more about how we do this in our articles.

1

Healthy pigs

We have stringent requirements regarding issues such as antibiotic use, salmonella, and slaughter findings.

2

Care for mother and piglet

Our piglets stay with their mothers for longer, and sows are given nesting materials around the time the piglets are born.

3

The animal's living environment

Daily manure removal improves conditions in the sty. Enrichment materials, such as lucerne, are provided in sties.

4

Minerals cycle

We extract the minerals from manure, return them to the cycle, and reduce mineral loss by improving their absorption by the animals.

5

Biodiversity and soil

We strive to reduce the disruption caused to soil life by manure as much as possible by minimising the use of antibiotics and the amounts of copper and zinc in feed.

6

Energy-neutral

We aim to make the chain energy-neutral through energy-saving measures, daily manure removal, immediate manure processing, and digestate processing.

7

Meat quality

We produce high-quality food. Our participants may only give their pigs feed that complies with the KDV Raw Materials List. Any soya used in pig feed must be RTRS certified.

8

Smart Farming

We have achieved the ultimate track and trace system through the innovative use of electronic ear tags. Our piglets are given an ear tag with an RFID chip at birth. This registers the entire history of each individual animal.

A wide-ranging and diverse network

The origin

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.


Dynamic advisory council

The Advisory Board ensures that the Sustainable Pork Value Chain focuses on the needs of consumers, companies and the industry. The Advisory Board critically evaluates our innovations and contributes ideas. This ensures that we will always proactively align ourselves with current and future developments.

November 13, 2024

Manure

Manure is an important source of biomass and scarce minerals and plays a crucial role in a circular economy. However, the excess of manure creates an imbalance between supply and demand, leading to higher costs for farmers, the government and the consumers.

The Sustainable Pork Value Chain (KDV) – and the sector as a whole – promotes solutions that tackle this problem at the source. This effort has led to the growing availability of fresh manure, which has the best properties for processing and fermentation.

The Sustainable Pork Value Chain (KDV) is working with its 200 farms to encourage practices that support the long-term sustainability of pig farming in the Netherlands. Discussions focused on how KDV can move towards a system in which manure yield is optimised within the chain and how manure processing and value creation can be scaled effectively within KDV.

April 6, 2022

COâ‚‚ Footprint

Much has been written about the negative impact of meat on the environment, particularly regarding the climate crisis. This is a very important discussion, considering the potentially significant consequences for humans and animals. Even so, we are convinced that the current view is too negative, especially in the context of pork from the KDV chain. Therefore, last year, we commissioned an independent research agency to calculate the CO2 footprint of KDV pork. They focused specifically on one of the most popular pork products: Dutch smoked sausage.

During this meeting, we discussed how to make the method as robust as possible and what actions might be taken in response to the results.

June 23, 2021

Data integration in the chain

The Sustainable Pork Value Chain (KDV) is the first chain in the world to fully implement individual animal recognition from farm to slaughterhouse, collecting and enriching data and feeding it back into the system.

The meeting also explored potential next steps for data integration within the chain, including for sales outlets or research into animal health and livestock feed.

November 27 2019

Sty of the Future

There is clear interest in the Sty of the Future, but how do we make sure it actually becomes a reality? We are assessing the current situation and looking at what the future holds regarding regulations, permits and funding.