Gyeonggi Province Invests 8 Billion Won This Year in Livestock Welfare Farm Certification Program

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] As social interest in the welfare of industrial animals such as cattle, pigs, and chickens has recently increased, Gyeonggi Province announced on the 26th that it will pursue the 'Livestock Welfare Farm Certification' project this year with a total budget of 8 billion won.

The 'Livestock Welfare Farm Certification System' is designed to select and certify livestock farms that actively work to create pleasant farming environments and practice hygienic farm operations, with the goal of improving industrial animal welfare and producing safe food.

Farms certified as Livestock Welfare Farms are eligible to participate in school meal programs and can receive various support and benefits of up to 200 million won per farm, including improvements to livestock facilities and quarantine facilities, environmental improvements, and disease prevention management systems.

From 2018, the first year of implementation, through last year, 359 farms expressed interest in participating, and currently 141 farms have been certified as Livestock Welfare Farms. These farms are implementing support projects totaling 240 billion won and supplying safe livestock products.

This year, 150 farms located in 14 municipalities and counties have applied. After completing document review and on-site inspections, the province plans to certify them as 2021 Gyeonggi Province Livestock Welfare Farms through advisory committee deliberation by May.

The province expects this certification system to significantly contribute to creating a livestock farming environment that maintains clean and hygienic breeding conditions, satisfies the basic needs of livestock, and produces healthy livestock products while coexisting with neighboring communities.

In particular, the program is encouraging exemplary and proactive livestock management practices among neighboring farms and is gaining popularity with consumers as well as livestock farmers.

The province plans to continue expanding the Livestock Welfare Farm certification and support projects to reduce negative perceptions about livestock farming and increase consumer trust in livestock products.

Kim Young-soo, director of the Livestock Policy Division at Gyeonggi Province, said, "Gyeonggi Province will continue to make efforts to respond to growing demand for industrial animal welfare so that livestock can grow in pleasant environments, bringing healthy and safe livestock products to the tables of our citizens."

Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province's Livestock Welfare Farm Certification System accepts applications around December each year through the relevant municipal and county offices.