Organic pig production systems vary greatly in Europe. In some countries, pigs are housed free-ranged on pastures, while in other countries, pigs are mainly housed in indoor systems with concrete outdoor runs. As a result, management challenges are also different.

One of the major challenges organic pig producers face is producing pig meat of high quality at a moderate price while at the same time not losing sight of high animal health and welfare standards. Animal-friendly and efficient pig production requires the consistent use of all preventive measures in husbandry, hygiene, feeding and management to prevent the development of major diseases, injuries and stress. Another challenge for producers is that the EU regulation for organic farming requires that feed comes from the farm itself or from the region and that feed be varied in order to meet the demand for energy and protein at each stage of production.