High-quality, safe livestock production supported through provincial certification program
Gyeonggi Province is helping local livestock farms obtain antibiotic-free and organic certifications, strengthening food safety from the production stage and expanding the foundation for livestock products that consumers can choose with confidence.
According to the province Thursday, this year's "High-Quality Safe Livestock Development Support Project" is subsidizing a portion of certification costs — including application fees and inspection charges — for 1,250 farms newly obtaining or renewing antibiotic-free or organic livestock certification.
The province is particularly focused on expanding the production base for G-mark livestock products by supporting antibiotic-free certification among farms affiliated with G-mark-certified operations. As a result, no cases of residue non-compliance have been recorded at G-mark livestock farms over the past five years.
Since launching its eco-friendly certification support program in 2012, the province has assisted a cumulative total of 14,350 farms. The number of certified antibiotic-free and organic cattle, pig and poultry farms in the province grew 84 percent, from 852 in 2012 to 1,568 in 2025, while certified livestock output rose roughly 5.3-fold, from 68,000 tons to 360,000 tons. Output per farm also rose 188 percent over the same period, reflecting steady expansion of the antibiotic-free and organic production base. Gyeonggi Province's share of nationally certified antibiotic-free and organic livestock farms more than doubled, climbing from 9.1 percent in 2012 to 20.2 percent in 2025.
The growth in certified farms has also contributed to raising farm management and husbandry standards, laying the groundwork for a stable supply of high-quality livestock products.
Kim Jong-chan, who runs Haesaemchan Farm, an antibiotic-free certified livestock operation in Anseong, said the certification process places a considerable burden on farmers. "Maintaining antibiotic-free certification requires not only careful husbandry management but also annual inspections and renewal procedures," he said. "Even so, if certification cost support continues, it will be a great help in keeping farms from abandoning their certification and in producing safe livestock products."
Gyeonggi Province plans to continue expanding support for antibiotic-free and organic certification — going beyond simply increasing the number of certified farms — by rigorously managing food safety from the production stage and creating an environment for producing and distributing livestock products that consumers can trust.
Lee Eun-gyeong, head of the Animal Disease Control and Hygiene Division, said consumer attention to livestock product safety is growing, making it essential to secure safety from the production stage. "Through support for antibiotic-free and organic certification, we will ease the burden on farms, expand the production of safe livestock products, and raise the competitiveness of Gyeonggi Province's livestock industry," she said.
Meanwhile, the province's program covers a range of livestock species, including cattle, pigs, chickens and ducks, and is carried out in partnership with eco-friendly certification bodies to provide both financial support for certification costs and on-farm guidance and education. Farms seeking antibiotic-free or organic certification can apply through their local city or county office and receive support after going through a selection process.
pjh@heraldcorp.com
