The University of Zaragoza hosts the Workshop on Bioeconomics, Ethics and Sustainability in the Pork meat Industry

The speakers who attended this event are members of the Grupo Jorge Foundation Chair for Talent and Innovation — made up of teaching professionals from the Veterinary Faculty of the University of Zaragoza and other professionals linked to the Grupo Jorge Business Foundation – together with national experts of prominence within the food sector. 

Zaragoza, 6th February, 2023 – The Grupo Jorge Foundation Chair for Talent and Innovation organized the day-long Workshop for Bio-economics, Ethics and Sustainability in the Pork Meat Industry, which took place in the morning and afternoon of the 8th of February last, in the Great Hall of the University of Zaragoza.  Olga Samper, president of the Grupo Jorge Business Foundation, and Rosa Bolea, vice-rector of Scientific Policy, were given the task of opening the Day, at 9:30 a.m., in the Great Hall of the University. 

This event sought to combine the experience of renowned professionals in the food sector with research and academic work of the University. To this end, a programme was devised in three sections (environment, social and animal) in which important experts – both nationally and locally - from the pork sector participated. After each round table, debate was encouraged with public participation. 

The workshop, open to the public, included speakers linked to the Chair and institutions and organizations such as the Spanish Medicine and Health Products Agency  (AEMPS), the National Association of Pig Livestock (ANPROGAPOR), Exopol, the Madrid Institute for Advanced Water Studies (IMDEA), the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), the Valencian Institute for Agrarian Research (IVIA) and the University of Lérida (UdL). All of them spoke on topics of current interest regarding animal welfare, bio-security, pollutants of emerging concern, antimicrobial resistance, new tools for diagnosis and prevention, sustainability, quality and food safety as well as the evaluation of by-products. 

The inaugural session took place at 10 a.m. with the topics: ‘Myths and the Reality of Sustainability in Pork Meat Livestock’,  given by Pedro González-Añover of Grupo Jorge, ‘¿How to Improve Sustainability in Pork Production?’, given by Mª Angeles Latorre and Javier Álvarez Rodríguez, from UNIZAR and UdL respectively, and ‘New Health Challenges’, given by Cristina Acín, also of UNIZAR. 

After a coffee break, the environmental session began with the subjects: ‘The Sustainability of Pork Meat Production and Evaluation of By-products’ by Alba Cerisuelo of IVIA, ‘Pollutants of Emerging Concern in the Earth-water System’, by Ana de Santiago, of IMDEA-Agua, and ‘Experiences in Sustainability. Challenges and Opportunities’, by Luis Ullate, of Grupo Jorge. 

From 2.30 p.m. on, the section on animal welfare was held, with the topics: ‘What is Europe Preparing When It Comes To Welfare?’, by Miguel Ángel Higuera, Director of ANPROGAPOR, ‘Challenges in the Use of Antimicrobials in the Pork Meat Sector’, by Sara Sacristán and Cristina Muñoz, both of AEMPS, ‘Challenges and Strategies for the Objective Control of Bio-security in Pig Farms’, by Lara Ruiz of Grupo Jorge, and ‘New Needs and Challenges for the Diagnostic Laboratory; New Diagnostic Tools for the Monitoring and Preserving of Health’, by Gema Chacón of Exopol. 

To conclude the workshop, there was a social session: ‘The Consumers’ Role in Food Sustainability’, by Montaña Cámara of UCM, ‘Strategies for the Control of Zoonosis in Primary Production: the Example of Salmonellosis in Pigs’, by Raúl Mainar of UNIZAR  and ‘Quality Control and Food Security’, by Carmen Matud, of Grupo Jorge. 

The first steps of the Grupo Jorge Foundation Chair for Talent and Innovation 

One of the objectives of this professorship, signed last July, is to promote the creation of new knowledge in the meat industry, the agro-food sector, renewable energies and Corporate Social Responsibility, among other fields of study. This was the first workshop organized by this organization which was open to the general public.

Furthermore, this collaboration between University and Business seeks to promote applied, practical work training, directed to students such as those studying Veterinary Science, Engineering and Business Administration.  It also hopes to generate applied research along strategic lines such as smart farms, sustainability in the food chain, areas of simulation applied to different fields of interest, etc. 

The Grupo Jorge Business Foundation is a charitable institution whose objective is to have a positive influence on the environment in which Grupo Jorge operates. Grupo Jorge is one of the major meat companies in Aragón, Spain, and has operated for almost 100 years in Europe and beyond, and has interests also in the energy and farming industries. 

Mª Angeles Latorre (Professor of Veterinary Medicine), Olga Samper (president of Fundación de empresas Grupo Jorge), Rosa Bolea (vice chancellor of Science Policy) y Cristina Acín (Faculty of Veterinary Science)