Photo: Supplied
Built and administered by the South African Pork Producers’ Oganisation (SAPPO), Pork 360 brings together farmers, feed mills, and abattoirs under a single, auditable standard focused on food safety, traceability, animal welfare, biosecurity and environmental stewardship.
For producers the message is clear: certification is not just a badge, but an investment in market access, risk reduction, and long-term profitability.
Why Pork 360 matters to farmers
Pork 360 translates global best practice into practical, auditable requirements that work in the South African context. For farmers, certification provides a visible and verifiable signal to buyers that production systems deliver consistent quality and safety.
Retailers increasingly require assurance systems they can trust, and Pork 360 delivers the documentation and independent annual audits that buyers demand. That means certified producers enjoy better access to formal markets, stronger negotiating positions on price and supply contracts, and reduced risk of sudden exclusion from lucrative supply chains.
Beyond market access, Pork 360 helps farms run better. The standard’s 12 farm objectives – covering administration, access control, employee management, pest control, feed quality, housing, animal care, hygiene, medication and vaccine management, waste management, transport, and equipment maintenance — are practical checkpoints that improve daily operations, reduce production losses and optimise resource use.
Farms that adopt these standards often find improved herd health, lower mortality, better feed conversion, and fewer costly surprises.
Biosecurity benefits that protect your herd and your business
Biosecurity is a central pillar of Pork 360 and one of its most tangible benefits for producers.
By setting clear requirements for access control, hygiene, movement of animals and products, and supplier verification, the programme reduces the likelihood of disease introduction and spread.
For an industry facing threats such as African swine fever, these measures are not optional.
Certified farms become part of a broader network of low-risk suppliers, which lessens the chance of regional outbreaks and minimises the operational and financial disruption that follows disease incursions.
Implementing Pork 360 biosecurity measures also makes farms more resilient to regulatory responses. When governments need to act during disease events, certified producers with documented controls and traceability systems are better positioned to demonstrate compliance and continue operations wherever possible.
This stability protects livelihoods and preserves market continuity.
Traceability food safety and consumer confidence
Consumers and retailers care about where their food comes from and how it was produced. This reflects the international trend of consumer interest in their products. Pork 360 embeds traceability into every stage of production and processing, ensuring that animals can be tracked from farm through the value chain. Traceability supports rapid responses to food safety incidents, enables targeted recalls that avoid wholesale market shutdowns, and reassures buyers that product integrity is maintained.
Food safety systems required under Pork 360 reduce contamination risk and align producers with international and domestic regulatory expectations. For producers that supply supermarkets, processors and exporters, this alignment is often a precondition for doing business.
Being Pork 360-certified therefore opens doors to premium markets and long-term commercial partnerships.
Animal welfare environmental stewardship and responsible medicine use
Pork 360’s standards emphasise welfare and responsible use of medicines. Welfare-friendly production lowers stress, improves growth performance and reduces losses, which directly benefits profitability.
Responsible medication and vaccination management help slow antimicrobial resistance and preserve the effectiveness of treatments, an increasingly important concern for both regulators and consumers.
Environmental stewardship elements of the standard encourage efficient resource use and appropriate waste management. These practices reduce environmental risk and can generate cost savings through energy and feed efficiencies, better manure management, and fewer regulatory compliance costs over time.
Practical steps to get certified and maximise benefits
- Understand the standard: Review the Pork 360 farm standard and the 12 objectives to see where your operation already complies and where changes are needed. This is best done with the help of your consulting vet.
- Plan improvements: Prioritise low-cost, high-impact measures such as access control, record-keeping and basic hygiene upgrades.
- Train staff: Clear roles, documented procedures and staff buy-in are essential for passing audits and maintaining standards.
- Work with abattoirs and buyers: Use certification as a negotiating tool and align supplier expectations with buyer requirements.
- Maintain records and prepare for annual audits: Consistent documentation simplifies audits and strengthens your certification status.
Call to action and contact information
Pork 360 is more than certification; it is a commitment to quality, safety and sustainability that pays tangible returns through market access, reduced disease risk and improved operational performance. If you farm pigs, supply the industry or want to learn how Pork 360 can benefit your business, get in touch with SAPPO.
For more information email [email protected], Phone 012 100 3035, Physical address: Office 37, Garsfontein Road, Waterkloof, Pretoria.
Brought to you by SAPPO. Adopt Pork 360 to protect your herd, strengthen your market position and join a trusted network that delivers safe, wholesome South African pork.
