Can You Feed Kitchen Scraps to Pigs? What the Law Says

Pigs will eat almost anything, which is exactly why the rules on what you may feed them are strict. The short answer depends on where you live: in some countries feeding pigs kitchen scraps is illegal outright — including for a single pet pig — while in others it comes down to federal, state and local rules. Both are covered below.

The UK: kitchen scraps and catering waste are banned

GOV.UK's guidance for pet pig keepers is direct: you cannot feed pigs catering waste from any domestic or commercial kitchen, including kitchens that only cater for vegetarians. You also generally cannot feed pigs material of animal origin, or products containing it.

That covers more than people expect. Leftovers from your own dinner, peelings and scraps from a home kitchen, and food waste from a café or a neighbour are all kitchen or catering waste. The vegetarian point matters because there is still a risk of cross-contamination from products of animal origin, such as milk.

The rule applies to pigs kept as pets, not just farm animals. GOV.WALES states this explicitly in its warning to keepers, and the guidance above applies from the first pig you own — the same point at which you need a holding number and to register with APHA.

Why the ban exists

It became illegal to feed kitchen scraps to farm animals in the UK in 2001, following the foot and mouth outbreak, in which around six million animals were culled. That outbreak is thought to have started with pigs fed catering waste containing the virus, which had come from outside the UK. The ban is there to stop notifiable diseases such as foot and mouth, classical swine fever and African swine fever being introduced and spread. African swine fever in particular is highly contagious and can be fatal to pigs, which is why UK authorities have issued warnings to pig keepers about it.

What you can do instead

Feed a complete pig feed. GOV.WALES points keepers to the range of pig foods sold by local agricultural merchants that can be fed safely, and our guide to how much a pig eats gives typical amounts by growth stage. GOV.UK also lists a small number of permitted items — for example liquid milk or colostrum from the same holding — but those are narrow exceptions, not a loophole for household food.

Every Pig Rescue Service, a UK pet-pig charity, recommends a diet of sow nuts, grazing and a wide variety of fresh vegetables with plenty of leafy greens, while also stating that feeding kitchen waste is prohibited. It doesn't say where the line falls, and we haven't found official wording on produce that has never been in a kitchen. If you want to feed something that isn't a bagged feed, ask APHA or your vet before you do; the consequences of getting it wrong are borne by the whole pig industry, not just your pig.

The US: federal rules, state rules and a household exemption

There is no single US answer. The federal Swine Health Protection Act, enforced by USDA APHIS, regulates feeding “garbage” to swine. It defines garbage as waste material derived in whole or in part from the meat of any animal, including fish and poultry, and it requires such waste to be heated throughout at boiling for 30 minutes, with agitation, before being fed — by an operator with the right licence. Waste from household operations that is fed directly on the premises where it was produced is excluded from that definition.

That exclusion is not the end of it, because states set their own rules and vary widely. According to the Animal Legal Defense Fund's summary, states differ significantly, and a few ban garbage feeding entirely. If you keep a pig in the US, check your state department of agriculture, and local rules, before feeding anything that has been through a kitchen — and note that, unlike the UK, the federal rule is concerned above all with food containing meat.

Why this matters when you're budgeting

“Pigs eat scraps” is one of the most repeated bits of folk advice about keeping them cheaply, and in the UK it's simply not available to you. Plan for bought feed. Our feed cost calculator and cost guide assume purchased feed for exactly this reason.

Sources: GOV.UK, “Keeping a pet pig or micropig”; GOV.WALES pig-keeper warnings on African swine fever and kitchen scraps; Animal Legal Defense Fund, “The Federal Swine Health Protection Act” (summarising 9 CFR Part 166). Sources checked: September 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.

Common questions

Is it illegal to feed kitchen scraps to pet pigs in the UK?

Yes. GOV.UK says you cannot feed pigs catering waste from any domestic or commercial kitchen, including kitchens that only cater for vegetarians, and you generally cannot feed them material of animal origin. The rule applies to pigs kept as pets as well as farm pigs.

Why is feeding pigs food waste banned in the UK?

To stop notifiable animal diseases spreading. The 2001 foot and mouth outbreak, which led to around six million animals being culled, is widely thought to have started with pigs fed catering waste containing the virus. The same rule guards against African swine fever.

Is it legal to feed food scraps to pigs in the US?

It depends on the state. The federal Swine Health Protection Act regulates feeding “garbage” — waste derived from the meat of any animal — and requires it to be cooked at boiling for 30 minutes by a licensed operator, but it excludes household waste fed directly on the premises where it was produced. States set their own rules, and some ban garbage feeding entirely.

What should I feed a pet pig instead?

A complete pig feed from an agricultural merchant, sized to the pig's growth stage. GOV.WALES specifically points keepers to the range of pig foods sold by local agricultural merchants that can be fed safely.