Payments to piglet producers in the Initiative Tierwohl (ITW) through the Piglet Fund will be extended until no later than 30 April 2027. This means that the partners from agriculture, the meat industry and retail are postponing the transition to market financing, originally planned for the turn of the year 2026/2027, by four months to 1 May 2027.
“With this agreement, agriculture, the meat industry and food retail once again show within the framework of the ITW that they can pull together,” explains Hubertus Beringmeier, President of the Westphalia-Lippe Farmers’ Association (Westfälisch-Lippischer Landwirtschaftsverband e.V.) and Chair of the ITW Technical Committee for Cattle and Pigs. “The extension of payments from the Piglet Fund gives livestock keepers urgently needed additional time to set the course for the required identity preservation.”
““That we have now found a common path toward the transition to a market-based solution is an important and necessary step”, comments Björn Fromm, President of the German Federal Association of the Food Trade (BVLH). “All parties have taken responsibility for a viable solution. Now it is important to continue along this path reliably.”
Orderly transition to a market-based solution
In the most recent registration phase, sufficient piglet producers registered to participate in the ITW. This closed the previously existing accounting gap in traceability between piglet rearing and pig fattening. The additional time until the end of April 2027 is intended to help farms find suitable ITW buyers or suppliers and establish the necessary supply relationships.
“Our goal remains fully market-based financing of animal welfare services, from sow husbandry through to slaughter. The additional months are an important signal to the agricultural sector and give livestock farmers the necessary leeway during this challenging time to better prepare their businesses for the long-planned implementation of the market solution“, says Robert Römer, Managing Director of ITW. The transition period will be financed using funds from the piglet fund that have not been used to date, as well as ongoing contributions from slaughter businesses. Financial incentives and greater flexibility For piglet producers, the extension means that the agreed animal welfare payment of 4,50 euros per piglet for deliveries to ITW finishers is expected to continue to be financed from the piglet fund until 30. April 2027. With the transition to the market solution, this will become a recommendation for a corresponding price premium. For pig finishers, the mandatory sourcing of ITW piglets begins when the market solution is introduced on 1. May 2027. On 1. January 2027, the recommended price premium for finishing pigs will also be adjusted. For farms that source only ITW piglets, the recommendation of 7,50 euros remains in place, while for farmsthat do not source only ITW piglets, the recommendation decreases from 6,00 euros to 5,00 euros. As an additional incentive to switch to ITW piglets as soon as possible, the status “namely from birth” will also be granted immediately from 1. January 2027 as soon as only ITW piglets are placed in the barns; the previous waiting period no longer applies.
Additional registration period for piglet rearers
To attract more farms to participate, ITW is offering an additional registration period for piglet rearers in October 2026. Audits of newly registered farms are scheduled to begin in November 2026. ITW will communicate details in the coming weeks and months.
26. August 2026 - Initiative Tierwohl