Producer guidance for WATOK application

Producers in England and Wales are reminded that all staff who are expected to euthanise pigs on farm should apply for their WATOK (Welfare at the Time of Killing) licence.

Following Red Tractor’s official communication clarifying their position in relation to WATOK licences, the legal interpretation of the term “emergency killing” must be adhered to, and as such the routine dispatch of pigs is not classed as ‘emergency killing’ on the basis that commercial farms should be able to foresee the need and, therefore, take steps to prepare in advance, including having the relevant equipment to hand and holding a license, if using relevant methods.

Applying for a WATOK licence is relatively straightforward. You can apply on the government website here, by clicking the button “Apply for a WATOK licence: commercial pig unit”. It is important that you chose this option as you will be required to select the specific activity codes that you need for pigs. The application should take around 10-15 minutes and is free – payment is only required ahead of assessment.

There will be guidance in the application informing you that you do not need a WATOK licence for emergency killing on farm. Remember, in England and Wales, killing pigs or piglets routinely on commercial pig farms – incuding dispatching injured or weak small piglets – is not seen as an emergency, so you do need a WATOK licence.

There is currently a significant backlog of applications in the system which is expected to grow, however if you can demonstrate that the application has been made by showing assessors a copy of the APHA automated email confirming an application is in progress, you will not receive a non-conformance.

Please be aware that owners/managers can complete the application on behalf of their staff, providing their have the information listed below.

To apply for a new WATOK licence you’ll need to:

• provide your contact details
• upload a passport-style photograph (in JPEG format with a file size between 10KB and 250KB) – this can be taken with a camera phone
• record the activity codes for the operations and equipment you want your WATOK licence to cover
• provide the billing details of a company or organisation if they’re paying the licence fee and associated costs for the licence

The Operation codes which lists which methods can be used for which pigs, and which you will need to specify in your application, can be found here.