The competition returns to Extremadura in a special edition with many new features, including a new ASICI Special Award for Excellence in Acorn-Fed Iberian Pork.
The Interprofessional Association of Iberian Pork (ASICI) reinforces its commitment by joining the organization of this important award.
The Porc d’Or Ibérico Awards Gala 2026 will be held next June 12 at the historic grounds of the Alcazaba of Jerez de los Caballeros (Badajoz). The choice of venue reinforces the organization’s commitment to placing the awards in territories with a strong tradition in Iberian production, as well as the intention to highlight the role of the farms that underpin the sector’s leadership both nationally and internationally.
The celebration of the gala also has the support of the Jerez de los Caballeros City Council, which officially presented, together with IRTA and ASICI, the celebration of the 10th edition of the Porc d’Or Ibérico Awards in the town.
Among the meetings that have marked the start of the preparations for this edition, the meeting of the BDporc monitoring committee stands out. This committee, made up of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA), IRTA and ANPROGAPOR, was held in Madrid on February 16 and addressed the main updates of the Porc d’Or Awards.
Organized by IRTA, with ASICI and Ceva Salud Animal as co-organizers, these Awards have the support of MAPA and ANPROGAPOR. As IRTA’s Director General, Josep Usall, recalls: “This edition consolidates a decade of commitment of the Porc d’Or Awards to the Iberian pig sector, and this would not have been possible without the involvement and support of the main institutions and associations.” The Awards also count on the involvement of five companies as premium sponsors: Farm Faes, IFR, OPP Group, Sabseg Banasegur and Semen Cardona.
In this tenth edition, the Porc d’Or Ibérico Awards are consolidated as a key event for the Iberian pig farming sector. Beyond recognizing the most outstanding farms, the gala has become a meeting point for producers, companies, researchers and entities within the agri-food sector, fostering the exchange of knowledge and the strengthening of alliances throughout the entire Iberian value chain.
Starting this year, ASICI (Interprofessional Association of the Iberian Pig) reinforces its commitment to the Porc d’Or Ibérico Awards by becoming directly involved in the organization of the gala as co-organizer of the awards and introducing a new ASICI Special Award, which will recognize excellence in Acorn-Fed Ibérico. From this 10th edition onwards, this award will be added to the list of Special Porc d’Or Ibérico Awards, alongside the MAPA Award for Sustainability, the CEVA Animal Health One Health Award and the Porc d’Or Ibérico with Diamond.
Among the commitments undertaken by the Interprofessional Association of the Iberian Pig (ASICI) as co-organizer of the awards, the creation of a Special ASICI Award stands out. It is designed to recognize excellence in the management of acorn-fed animals through a system of assessment that is objective, transparent and data-based. In the words of ASICI’s president, Raúl García: “with this award we aim to highlight the effort, knowledge and commitment of the farmers who make the excellence of acorn-fed Ibérico possible; recognizing their good management is also recognizing the foundation of the quality that sets us apart in the market.”
The competition will be open to all farms (REGA) operating within the ÍTACA system and producing acorn-fed animals, ensuring equal opportunities among operators and agile, efficient management. The awards are structured into two categories —Black Label (100% Ibérico) and Red Label (50% and 75% Ibérico)— with three nominees per category and a single winner in each.
The evaluation will be carried out exclusively on the basis of the information registered in ÍTACA, through the analysis of key indicators such as the operator’s track record, production efficiency, weight gain during the montanera, percentage of suitable carcasses, age of the animals or duration of the montanera. Additionally, the model incorporates extra incentives linked to strategic aspects such as animal welfare, production and health management, as well as administrative compliance, contributing to strengthening professionalization in the sector. The process will be completed with technical visits to the finalist farms and the validation of a multidisciplinary Technical Committee, which will submit its decision to be confirmed, along with the rest of the winners, by the Porc d’Or Awards Jury, thus ensuring the rigor and consistency of the system.
With this initiative, ASICI takes another step forward in consolidating a sectoral model based on traceability, objectivity and excellence, aligned with the growing demands of the markets and consumers.
As part of this collaboration, IRTA and ASICI have held various working meetings and technical visits to select the venue for the gala and define the foundations of the new award, as well as to coordinate the organizational aspects of this edition. Likewise, both entities plan to formalize a collaboration agreement within the framework of the Alimentaria trade fair.
This edition also introduces adjustments in some of the evaluation criteria for the productive categories. The former Award for Live Births is being replaced by the Numerical Productivity Award, a criterion that offers a more comprehensive view of reproductive performance.
Likewise, the Longevity Award updates its evaluation criteria and will now be assessed based on the percentage of sows that surpass the fifth productive cycle, placing the focus on sow management, longevity and long-term efficient management.
For its part, the Farrowing Rate Award remains in place, although the nomination process now also includes the assessment of other relevant reproductive indicators, such as weaning-to-estrus and weaning-to-fertile-mating intervals.
These adjustments strengthen the technical focus of the awards and enhance their ability to accurately reflect productive efficiency and good management practices in Iberian pig farms.
The Porc d’Or Ibérico Awards are supported by the technical foundation of the BDporc platform, managed by IRTA, which systematically collects and analyzes the technical–productive data from pig farms that are registered and eligible for these Awards. This system provides objective, comparable and validated information, becoming a key tool for continuous improvement and decision-making on farms.
Recently, BDporc has added a new section to its website called “Granjas d’Or” (Granjas d’Or – BDporc), an initiative aimed at bringing the pig sector closer to society by highlighting the excellent daily work of its farmers. This section showcases some of the farms that have been nominated for the Porc d’Or Awards and stand out for their productive excellence and sustainability, the professionalism and good work of their teams, theirwelfare of their animals and workers.
Farms interested in joining BDporc may do so as long as they have a management program capable of periodically sending their technical–productive data. For more information, they can contact BDporc through the https://bdporc.irta.es/adhesion-a-bdporc/ or by emailing mailto:bdporc@irta.catbdporc@irta.cat.
