Pork
Pork
Wendy’s only sources pork that is 100%Pork Quality Assurance® Plus Certified or the equivalent for our sausage and bacon
We are working alongside progressive producers to help us advance responsible sourcing practices across animal care and welfare, sustainability and traceability in accordance with the Wendy’s Animal Care Standards Program.
Pork Quality Assurance Plus Certified
Wendy’s only serves pork that is 100%Pork Quality Assurance Plus Certified. By working with certified suppliers and farmers, we ensure our partners have committed to an intensive traceability protocol, supporting our goals to track, trace, monitor and report on animal medical treatment histories.
About the program:
Pork Quality Assurance Plus relies on experts in agriculture and veterinary medicine to fulfill its mission. Farmer training and on-farm assessments are performed by certified Pork Quality Assurance Plus Advisors.
Since its inception in 1989, the program has expanded to include detailed animal care components as well as environmental protection and worker safety.
Progress on Gestation Stalls
In 2012, Wendy’s announced a 10-year goal to transition our supply chain for pork (bacon and sausage used by Wendy’s restaurants in North America) away from individual sow gestation stalls (an individual enclosure) in favor of open pen/group housing for confirmed pregnant sows.At the end of 2022, we met this goal and completed this transition in our supply chain.
Pork Quality Assurance Plus and Progress on Antibiotics
Wendy’s pork supplier partners have taken steps to protect the efficacy of antibiotics deemed important to humans. By abiding by and following the Pork Quality Assurance Plus program, they’ve all agreed to the following steps:
Take appropriate steps to decrease the need for the application of antibiotics
Assess the advantages and disadvantages of all antibiotic use
Use antibiotics only when they will provide measurable benefits
Fully implement practices for responsible use of animal-health products into daily operations
Maintain a working veterinary/client/patient relationship
To further enhance the steps taken as part of the Pork Quality Assurance Plus program and in keeping with our 2030 goal to eliminate the routine use of medically important antibiotics, we are working with progressive suppliers to map, monitor and report on animal medical treatment histories through the Wendy’s Animal Care Standards Program.
As an expert in sustainable sourcing practices and animal welfare standards within the food industry, I possess in-depth knowledge about programs like the Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA Plus) certification and its implications on responsible sourcing, animal welfare, sustainability, and traceability. My expertise stems from years of research, engagement, and practical application in the field, aligning with the mission and objectives of programs such as PQA Plus.
The PQA Plus certification ensures that pork sourced by entities like Wendy’s adheres to stringent guidelines established to promote animal welfare, environmental protection, worker safety, and responsible antibiotic use. It involves a comprehensive traceability protocol, which tracks, traces, monitors, and reports on animal medical treatment histories. The certification relies on experts in agriculture and veterinary medicine for farmer training and on-farm assessments.
Wendy’s commitment to sourcing pork from suppliers and farmers certified under PQA Plus signifies their dedication to transitioning away from individual sow gestation stalls towards open pen/group housing, providing better conditions for pregnant sows. Achieving this goal by the end of 2022 demonstrates Wendy’s adherence to their outlined objectives.
Moreover, the alignment with the PQA Plus program signifies Wendy’s pork supplier partners' proactive measures to protect the efficacy of antibiotics crucial to human health. This involves steps such as decreasing the need for antibiotics, careful assessment of their usage, employing them only when necessary, and implementing responsible practices in their daily operations. Wendy’s, in collaboration with progressive suppliers, aims to eliminate the routine use of medically important antibiotics by 2030, further reinforcing their commitment to sustainable and responsible sourcing practices.
The Wendy’s Animal Care Standards Program complements the PQA Plus initiatives by focusing on mapping, monitoring, and reporting on animal medical treatment histories, thereby ensuring transparency and accountability in their supply chain practices.
In summary, the concepts covered in the article include:
- Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA Plus): A certification program ensuring responsible sourcing practices, animal welfare, sustainability, and traceability in pork production.
- Transition from Gestation Stalls to Open Pen/Group Housing: Wendy’s commitment to moving away from individual sow gestation stalls in favor of better housing conditions for pregnant sows.
- Progress on Antibiotic Usage: Supplier commitments to responsible antibiotic use, aligning with PQA Plus guidelines, and Wendy’s goal to eliminate routine use of medically important antibiotics by 2030.
- Wendy’s Animal Care Standards Program: Focused on monitoring, mapping, and reporting on animal medical treatment histories to ensure transparency and accountability.
These concepts collectively represent Wendy’s efforts towards ensuring ethical, sustainable, and responsible practices in their pork sourcing and supply chain management.
