The British pig industry has pledged to launch an initiative to prevent meat from farms operating in violation of new welfare laws from entering the UK food chain.

The National Pig Association's "Exercise Compliance" follows on from efforts to secure guarantees from major retailers that they will not stock pork or pork products from farms that are flouting the European sow stalls ban. The partial ban was introduced in January this year, though ten member states remained noncompliant when the new legislation entered into effect, despite having had over ten years to prepare.

NPA said this accounted for over 60 percent of EU production, as it included major producers France, Germany and Spain. Almost two-thirds of pig products consumed in the UK are imported into the country, and the NPA said it would continue to work with the government to ensure meat from farms operating illegally does not enter the food chain. Nine of the ten member states have yet to comply with the ban.

Although NPA has publicly taken a stance against "lower-welfare [meat] being sold to unsuspecting British consumers," the group has criticised EU Commission inaction on the widespread flouting of new rules principally on the grounds that this will put producers at a competitive disadvantage.

NPA announced details of a new exercise on Monday; "Exercise Compliance" will involve randomly selecting pork products and asking the retailer responsible for the item to establish its provenance, ensuring it does not come from a 'low welfare' farm.

NPA has already visited the Netherlands with retailer Asda to visit two farms that produce pork for the Asda supply chain. NPA spokesperson Lizzie Press said, "Although we visited only a representative sample, it was clear both farms were fully compliant with the sow stalls ban and we were satisfied with the farm standards we observed."

The European Commission has started infraction proceedings against the nine countries that remain in violation of new welfare laws (Denmark, Poland, Belgium, Greece, Ireland, Germany, France Cyprus and Portugal), but, as efforts to pursue states that remain in violation of 2012's Welfare of Laying Hens Directive, this process can prove to be protracted and the industry association said it wishes to ensure that UK pig meat sourcing remains transparent in the meantime.

Lizzie Press added, "I am sure that the companies that have signed our Wall of Fame are as keen as we are to assure their customers of the traceability of the pork and pork products they import, particularly following the recent horsemeat scandal which has shaken consumer's faith in the food chain,"