Views of Farmers and Industrial Entrepreneurs on the Iberian Pig Quality Standard: An In-Depth Interview Research Study

Since 2014, the Quality Standard for Iberian meat, leg ham, shoulder ham and dry-cured loin has regulated production factors and processes involved in the raw material and manufactured products from Iberian pigs, the most important pig breed in both population size and economic importance of the sou...

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Main Authors: Alberto Ortiz, Natalia Carrillo, Ahmed Elghannam, Miguel Escribano, Paula Gaspar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-09-01
Series:Animals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/10/1772
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author Alberto Ortiz
Natalia Carrillo
Ahmed Elghannam
Miguel Escribano
Paula Gaspar
author_facet Alberto Ortiz
Natalia Carrillo
Ahmed Elghannam
Miguel Escribano
Paula Gaspar
author_sort Alberto Ortiz
collection DOAJ
description Since 2014, the Quality Standard for Iberian meat, leg ham, shoulder ham and dry-cured loin has regulated production factors and processes involved in the raw material and manufactured products from Iberian pigs, the most important pig breed in both population size and economic importance of the southwest Iberian Peninsula. Regarding the changes to the Quality Standard that industrial entrepreneurs and farmers are currently demanding, a qualitative research study has been developed through 14 in-depth interviews with the purpose of understanding the perception of Iberian pig farmers and industrial entrepreneurs of the requirements of the currently-effective Quality Standard, as well as the conditions under which this is being applied. The results showed a consensus amongst the majority of the participants in aspects such as the maintenance of the breed base as 100% Iberian for reproductive females, weight and age requirements at the time of slaughter for the montanera category and the manufacturing lengths for dry-cured products. On the other hand, there were discrepancies between the requirements defined by the Quality Standard and those requested by the respondents for the non-free-range fodder-fed and free-range fodder-fed categories, with the industrial entrepreneurs and farmers being inclined towards the reduction in the age of slaughter of the former and the distinction in the production conditions of the latter.
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spelling doaj.art-5c2365ea15ed484b8f5044a3c65c27a52023-11-20T15:42:51ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152020-09-011010177210.3390/ani10101772Views of Farmers and Industrial Entrepreneurs on the Iberian Pig Quality Standard: An In-Depth Interview Research StudyAlberto Ortiz0Natalia Carrillo1Ahmed Elghannam2Miguel Escribano3Paula Gaspar4Meat Quality Area, Center for Scientific and Technological Research of Extremadura (CICYTEX-La Orden), Junta de Extremadura, 06187 Guadajira, Badajoz, SpainDepartment of Animal Production and Food Science, School of Agricultural Engineering, University of Extremadura, Avda. Adolfo Suarez, s/n, 06007 Badajoz, SpainDepartment of Economics, School of Agricultural Engineering, University of Extremadura, Avda. Adolfo Suarez, s/n, 06007 Badajoz, SpainDepartment of Animal Production and Food Science, School of Agricultural Engineering, University of Extremadura, Avda. Adolfo Suarez, s/n, 06007 Badajoz, SpainDepartment of Animal Production and Food Science, School of Agricultural Engineering, University of Extremadura, Avda. Adolfo Suarez, s/n, 06007 Badajoz, SpainSince 2014, the Quality Standard for Iberian meat, leg ham, shoulder ham and dry-cured loin has regulated production factors and processes involved in the raw material and manufactured products from Iberian pigs, the most important pig breed in both population size and economic importance of the southwest Iberian Peninsula. Regarding the changes to the Quality Standard that industrial entrepreneurs and farmers are currently demanding, a qualitative research study has been developed through 14 in-depth interviews with the purpose of understanding the perception of Iberian pig farmers and industrial entrepreneurs of the requirements of the currently-effective Quality Standard, as well as the conditions under which this is being applied. The results showed a consensus amongst the majority of the participants in aspects such as the maintenance of the breed base as 100% Iberian for reproductive females, weight and age requirements at the time of slaughter for the montanera category and the manufacturing lengths for dry-cured products. On the other hand, there were discrepancies between the requirements defined by the Quality Standard and those requested by the respondents for the non-free-range fodder-fed and free-range fodder-fed categories, with the industrial entrepreneurs and farmers being inclined towards the reduction in the age of slaughter of the former and the distinction in the production conditions of the latter.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/10/1772Iberian porkquality standardqualitative analysisin-depth interviews
spellingShingle Alberto Ortiz
Natalia Carrillo
Ahmed Elghannam
Miguel Escribano
Paula Gaspar
Views of Farmers and Industrial Entrepreneurs on the Iberian Pig Quality Standard: An In-Depth Interview Research Study
Animals
Iberian pork
quality standard
qualitative analysis
in-depth interviews
title Views of Farmers and Industrial Entrepreneurs on the Iberian Pig Quality Standard: An In-Depth Interview Research Study
title_full Views of Farmers and Industrial Entrepreneurs on the Iberian Pig Quality Standard: An In-Depth Interview Research Study
title_fullStr Views of Farmers and Industrial Entrepreneurs on the Iberian Pig Quality Standard: An In-Depth Interview Research Study
title_full_unstemmed Views of Farmers and Industrial Entrepreneurs on the Iberian Pig Quality Standard: An In-Depth Interview Research Study
title_short Views of Farmers and Industrial Entrepreneurs on the Iberian Pig Quality Standard: An In-Depth Interview Research Study
title_sort views of farmers and industrial entrepreneurs on the iberian pig quality standard an in depth interview research study
topic Iberian pork
quality standard
qualitative analysis
in-depth interviews
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/10/1772
work_keys_str_mv AT albertoortiz viewsoffarmersandindustrialentrepreneursontheiberianpigqualitystandardanindepthinterviewresearchstudy
AT nataliacarrillo viewsoffarmersandindustrialentrepreneursontheiberianpigqualitystandardanindepthinterviewresearchstudy
AT ahmedelghannam viewsoffarmersandindustrialentrepreneursontheiberianpigqualitystandardanindepthinterviewresearchstudy
AT miguelescribano viewsoffarmersandindustrialentrepreneursontheiberianpigqualitystandardanindepthinterviewresearchstudy
AT paulagaspar viewsoffarmersandindustrialentrepreneursontheiberianpigqualitystandardanindepthinterviewresearchstudy