Ethical Considerations in Using Porcine Tissues for Medicine
At Sustainable Swine Resources (SSR), ethics shape how we source, prepare, and deliver porcine tissues for research and commercial use. A porcine tissue sample’s journey tells the story of sustainability at SSR. As a division of Johnsonville, we carry forward a commitment to humane practices, sustainability, quality, and long-term partnership. Those values are built into our systems—from animal welfare and traceability to certified facilities and controlled preparation environments—so partners can advance their work with confidence.
Animal welfare comes first
Animal well-being is a moral and operational priority. Consistent with Johnsonville’s practices and values, we strive to meet and exceed established animal welfare and husbandry guidelines. That means continually improving equipment and facilities, educating our team in ethical handling, and adopting new technologies that further enhance our practices. SSR also partners with PQA+ certified farms highlighted in our communications, reinforcing a culture of continuous improvement in animal care.
Finding Purpose in Porcine Sourcing, Not Waste
Our name—Sustainable Swine Resources—reflects a zero-waste philosophy. We exist to find purpose for parts of the animal not used for sausage, ensuring every material contributes to human, animal, or environmental well-being. Porcine tissues are sourced and prepared for commercial or research applications across many sectors, helping reduce waste while supplying high-value inputs for medical devices, biologics, education and training, companion animal products, and more.
Controlled preparation, certified facilities
Ethical intent is only as strong as the systems that uphold it. SSR is ISO 22442-2 compliant and sources porcine tissues from two SQF-certified Johnsonville facilities in Wisconsin and Kansas. These USDA-inspected sites operate under robust Quality Management Systems and HACCP plans, with materials sourced from animals that have passed antemortem and post-mortem inspections.
When projects require it, we utilize designated medical-material rooms near the harvest floor to enable highly specific preparation steps. These controlled spaces are staffed by GMP-trained personnel who process, inspect, package, and ship porcine tissues according to standard operating procedures defined in partnership with our customers. The result is consistent, well-characterized raw material that aligns with the requirements of regulated industries.
Traceability and transparency
Responsible stewardship includes being able to trace where materials come from and how they were prepared. SSR can provide traceability throughout the supply chain back to the animal buying station or farm, along with documentation of sourcing and production processes when needed. For academic and product-development teams, we work closely to align the source animal and preparation methods with the intended application, helping optimize outcomes while maintaining transparency.
Sustainability embedded in the supply chain
Ethics and sustainability go hand in hand. By leveraging the scale and expertise of Johnsonville, SSR creates dependable, cost-effective solutions that make better use of available resources. That includes sourcing, sizing, trimming, preservation, and logistics tailored to partner specifications, so materials arrive ready for the next step in research or manufacturing. Shipping and packaging options (fresh, frozen, wet or dry ice; parcel or LTL) are selected to protect product integrity and reduce avoidable waste across the journey. Read more about our ethical and sustainable sourcing process.
Partnership as a principle
Ethical use of animal-derived materials also means collaborating closely with the people who rely on them. We begin by understanding your application, specifications, and SOPs, then build a protocol for harvesting, processing, preservation, and shipping that fits your needs. For academic and product-development teams, our procurement specialists work in controlled rooms to extract, trim, and assemble materials precisely to specification, with capabilities that include bioburden reduction, dissection, arterial/vein preservation related to organs, and viral inactivation. Partnering with SSR often leads to long-term partnerships helping scale businesses efficiently. We also welcome participation in advisory boards, planning sessions, and roundtables to help advance next-generation research and product development.
What ethical stewardship means for you
Working with SSR means your materials are sourced with humane care, prepared in controlled environments by trained personnel, and supported by certifications and documentation that matter in regulated settings. It means flexible, customized solutions that prioritize integrity and reliability at every step. And it means a partner who shares your goal: using high-quality porcine tissues to improve outcomes for patients, providers, and the planet.