The South African Pork Producers’ Organisation is expanding its focus on animal health, research and traceability as the pork industry adapts to the reality of ongoing foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) risk.
By Lebogang Mashala, editor at African Farming
SAPPO has commissioned research to strengthen FMD control measures, including the validation of diagnostic tests, investigating pathways for reinstating compartment status after vaccination, and evaluating the effects of FMD vaccination in pigs.
SAPPO has also appointed a second veterinarian and made animal health a dedicated strategic focus area.
These developments were discussed at the SAPPO Expo 2026 and AGM, held on 2–3 September at Silverlakes Farm Hotel in Pretoria, which brought together producers, processors, retailers, financiers and government under the theme “Stewardship in Action”.
The programme focused on animal welfare, biosecurity, environmental care and production efficiency – issues SAPPO believes will increasingly determine the resilience and competitiveness of South Africa’s pork industry.
The organisation’s plans follow one of the most challenging animal-health periods in the industry’s history. Since November 2025, SAPPO has helped coordinate the response to South Africa’s largest African swine fever (ASF) outbreak to date. During the same period, the first commercial piggery contracted FMD, followed by 17 FMD incidents at commercial units.
“We chose not to let a crisis go to waste,’ Dr Marlene Louw, CEO of SAPPO, told attendees. “We moved from arguing for proportionate, risk-based control measures to implementing them, and to adapting our systems for a reality in which producers farm with ongoing FMD risk.
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Building a stronger disease-control system
As part of its forward strategy, SAPPO will drive the registration of Global Location Numbers (GLNs) among producers for the remainder of 2026.
GLNs are unique international identifiers for farms and production sites, providing an important foundation for improved traceability and cross-species disease management.
SAPPO sponsored producers’ initial registrations, which were completed at its stand during the SAPPO Expo and AGM.
The organisation says its focus on traceability forms part of a broader effort to ensure that the industry is better prepared to manage future animal-health risks.
Approximately 200 000 FMD vaccine doses were allocated, distributed and recorded on SAPPO’s World of Pork digital platform during the past year.
In KwaZulu-Natal, SAPPO worked with Kwanalu and the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation to subsidise a permit office, helping to facilitate livestock movement within the province’s disease-management areas.
Regulatory changes have further strengthened the industry’s ability to manage FMD. Revised Section 9 control measures, published in July 2026 following sustained engagement with government, have significantly reduced the negative impact of FMD outbreaks on animal welfare and commercial production in piggeries.
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Protecting market confidence
Animal-health challenges have also placed pressure on the pork market, with heightened uncertainty and price fluctuations contributing to a sharp increase in pork imports from the beginning of 2026.
SAPPO responded with consumer education and retail marketing initiatives aimed at supporting demand for locally produced pork.
“Consumer confidence in pork is built through consistent, credible engagement. That is the work we take into 2027,” Louw said.
Pork 360, SAPPO’s farm-to-fork quality assurance and traceability certification programme, audited 154 production units during 2025. These units represented 61% of the commercial sows registered on the World of Pork platform.
SAPPO is also preparing to implement Social Sows in the fourth quarter of 2026. The programme will monitor producers’ transition to gestation crate-free production, with producer pledges and progress milestones recorded on the World of Pork platform.
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Strengthening producer capacity
SAPPO’s support for small-scale and developing producers continued during the year, with its mentorship programme recording 619 farm visits and 359 biosecurity assessments in 2025.
Biosecurity assessment pass rates improved by seven percentage points compared with 2024.
The SAPPO Academy recorded 131 completed online learning modules during the year, and business-skills training was delivered in partnership with AgriSETA. A leadership programme was also completed through Stellenbosch Business School.
“The industry that comes out of this year is more resilient than the one that went in,” Louw said.
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