The 15 farms of BAF meet the global standard of Global S.L.P.

The "vegetarian" pig herd, adhering to international animal welfare standards

Following the 9 initial farms awarded Global G.A.P certification in 2024, BAF Vietnam Agricultural Joint Stock Company (HOSE: BAF) recently announced that 15 more farms have been granted the Global S.L.P (Global Smart Livestock Practices) certification. This certification is issued by Bureau Veritas, one of the world’s leading organizations for inspection, assessment, and certification.

It is particularly noteworthy that every link in BAF's entire closed-loop livestock value chain, including Feed, Farm and Food, has now received international certification. This aims to create clean, safe meat products with traceability back to each farm for consumers, while also reflecting the company’s responsibility towards the environment and society.

Global S.L.P is a standard specifically designed for the livestock industry, particularly pig farming. According to a representative from Bureau Veritas, BAF underwent an independent evaluation process conducted by experts, based on over 500 strict criteria that cover the entire production chain related to sustainable development. These criteria assess everything from the quality of breeding stock, animal feed, and housing conditions to stringent requirements on biosecurity and environmental management practices.

In Vietnam, most animal feed, including for pig farming, contains a combination of plant-based proteins (such as corn, soybeans, rice bran, fermented corn germ, wheat, and barley) and animal-based proteins (such as fish meal, meat meal, bone meal, blood meal, and feather meal). However, during the storage and processing of animal feed, animal-based protein ingredients, if not stored and processed correctly, can become contaminated by bacteria, fungi, or cross-contamination. This contamination can pose significant health risks to the livestock.

To address this, BAF has researched and developed animal feed made entirely from plant-based ingredients, known as "vegetarian feed." This feed is supplemented with essential vitamins, probiotics, and other key nutrients to ensure the healthy development of pigs at each growth stage. The production process for animal feed complies with both nutritional standards and principles for using environmentally friendly feed ingredients.

All farms built by BAF are carefully located to avoid areas with high biodiversity value, conservation zones, or sensitive habitats. They are positioned at a safe distance from residential areas to minimize any potential impact on the environment, human health, and local ecosystems.

Inside the farms, the pigs are raised in spacious, well-ventilated areas with a stable environment, where the temperature is consistently maintained below 25°C. The animals are provided with the "5 Freedoms" of animal welfare according to international standards, which are essential for ensuring their well-being. These include: access to adequate food and clean water, a safe and clean living environment, regular health checks with timely medical care, sufficient space for natural movement, and reduced stress through gentle handling and minimal disturbance.

Furthermore, BAF is utilizing advanced technology to make the farming process more sustainable. They have implemented efficient water treatment and recycling technologies to ensure minimal waste and preserve natural resources. BAF also applies innovative methods for waste management, including the collection, separation, pressing, and composting of waste materials, turning them into organic fertilizer that can be used in crop cultivation. Additionally, BAF has installed solar energy systems and is implementing various other environmentally friendly farming practices.

Animal welfare is a key factor in the evaluation of Global S.L.P certification.

The driving force behind BAF’s future breakthroughs

Mrs Bui Huong Giang, CEO of BAF, shared that Global S.L.P is a comprehensive certification, requiring not only compliance with production standards within the farm itself but also addressing areas such as veterinary care, disease control, biosecurity, environmental and social responsibilities, as well as labor policies.

In addition to this, the company plans to launch 6 to 10 new high-tech farms every year. Therefore, the recent achievement of receiving the international certification is a significant milestone but is seen as just the beginning. It serves as a driving force for BAF to maintain and consistently implement these high standards across its entire farm system in the future.

Currently, BAF stands as one of the leading high-tech livestock companies in Vietnam, operating within a fully integrated closed-loop Feed - Farm - Food system.

As of the end of 2024, BAF is set to operate nearly 40 farms, either in full operation or under construction, with the total number of pigs sold reaching nearly 600,000 (almost double compared to 2023). In early 2025, BAF will also begin the construction of a new animal feed plant in Binh Dinh, with a designed production capacity of 300,000 tons per year. This new plant will increase the total number of BAF’s plants to three, raising the company’s overall feed production capacity to 760,000 tons annually.

Looking ahead to 2026, BAF has ambitious plans to complete its second clean meat processing and slaughterhouse facility, which will have the capacity to process 150 pigs per day and produce 100,000 industrial meals daily.

By 2030, BAF aims to scale its operations significantly, with a target of 450,000 breeding sows and 10 million market pigs sold annually. With this goal, BAF intends to position itself as one of the leading companies in the Vietnamese pig farming industry.

Throughout its growth and operations, BAF continues to be supported by its strategic financial partner, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group.