The Pig Carcase Grading Scheme: guidance
Abattoirs that slaughter over 500 clean pigs per week must be registered and follow the rules on grading carcases.
If you operate a slaughterhouse that slaughters 500 or more clean pigs - that is, animals that have not been used for breeding - per week, you must:
- register with the Pig Carcase Grading (PCG) scheme
- follow the rules on grading carcases.
To operate an abattoir in the UK you must get approval from the Food Standards Agency.
The number of animals per week is calculated on a rolling annual average basis.
Under the PCG scheme, you must classify carcases according to rules which are followed throughout the European Union (EU) and cover:
- carcase dressing, grading. weighing and labelling/marking
- communicating the classification results to the supplier
- record keeping
- inspections, enforcement and penalties
- licensing.
Relevant regulations
The Carcase Classification and Price Reporting (England) Regulations 2018 (SI 2018/1164))
The Carcase Classification and Price Reporting (Wales) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018 No. 1215(W0248)).
Regulation 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1182 and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1184
Documents
Updates to this page
Last updated 26 February 2021 + show all updates
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Added in Link to Welsh Collection page
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Text has been reviewed and updated
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First published.