Inside the Spanish Pork Industry: The Pig Factory of Europe

Spain is one of the four largest global exporters of pork, alongside Germany, the US, and Denmark. An EU-funded campaign, Let’s Talk About Pork, says it wishes to counter fake claims surrounding meat production in Europe, and to demonstrate that the sector meets the highest standards of sustainability. Animal rights groups, on the other hand, argue that practices such as routine tail-docking and narrow gestation crates for sows constitute animal abuse, and that animal pain and suffering is widespread. They say that the industry makes access to farms difficult, and that they are compelled to enter covertly to document what happens inside.