Farmer Focus: Optimism over pig expansions and start-ups
Rob McGregor © Jason Bye For the past month my life has been pig-free.
Having spent the whole of my working life feeding, checking, loading and generally caring for pigs, this has felt a very strange time.
What makes it even stranger is that it’s not because the LSB units are now destocked: I’ve actually decamped myself before the last of the sows left.
See also: Farmer Focus: Plans change as disease strikes herd
About the author
This was definitely not what I envisaged 2025 looking like at the start of the year, but yes, after 30 years with the same business, I’m making a big move.
I’m technically between jobs, although after such a long time spent with one business you can imagine there’s been quite a bit of untangling to do. It’s not entirely felt like a sabbatical.
When I joined LSB, I was still in my twenties with two small boys running around excited about their new farmhouse home.
It’s genuinely frightening how quickly that time has passed. I’m now a lot greyer and a grandfather of two, with a third due very soon.
Moving on comes with an element of sadness, not least because I will no longer be able to claim the title of longest-serving BQP farm employee.
On top of that trivia, I’m fairly sure I have also outlasted everyone in the offices as well.
Having gained so much friendship and familiarity with the people in the supply chain, it will come as no surprise that I have chosen to stay within the BQP Pilgrim’s group and I will be starting my new role in a few days.
It is definitely going to be a novelty being the new boy.
When I said that my life had been pig-free, it wasn’t entirely true.
I have taken advantage of being “pig clean” from a biosecurity aspect and had a few days out and about helping Contented Products, the outdoor pig equipment manufacturer, by visiting some of its customers.
There’s a real feeling of optimism around at the moment, with investment being made not just in replacement kit, but also herd expansions and start-ups.
This has to be a good thing for the industry.
And for me, meeting the farmers and staff, and sharing our passions for best practice livestock production has been a welcome distraction during my recent downtime.