Pig farmers thank shoppers with free bacon baps
Pig farmers have been touring cities in a red tractor, handing out free bacon and sausage sandwiches to shoppers to thank them for buying British.
The roadshow is part of a national campaign to encourage shoppers to look for the Red Tractor logo and buy British to support British pig farmers.
Harvest failures around the world have caused the costs of pig feed to soar, which has left pig farmers currently facing losses of around £12 a pig.
As a result, the National Pig Association (NPA) is urging shoppers to buy British as our pig farming industry is coming under increasing strain.
“All the indications are that pork, bacon and sausages, like other foods will go up in price over the coming months,” said pig producer Richard Longthorp, chairman of the NPA.
“We have been handing out free bacon and sausage sandwiches to shoppers to say ‘thank you’ for sticking with British produce.”
Pig farmers and members of Ladies in Pigs have been travelling to Morrisons supermarkets up and down the country and handing out the freebies to shoppers. A red Massey Ferguson tractor is being used to highlight the campaign.
England rugby legend and farmer’s son Phil Vickery launched the two-week roadshow in London last month. The tour will stop off at 18 cities across England over the next 10 days.
Last week, Tesco announced a £25m annual deal to invest in beef and pork farmers and pay them higher price for their produce and longer contracts.
If more shoppers buy British it could persuade other supermarkets to pay pig producers a fairer price and help British pig farmers stay in production, Mr Longthorp said.
However, pig production across the EU may drop further after the sow stall ban comes into effect from 1 January 2013, he warned.
“Many EU member states are not yet compliant with the new legislation. As a result, there are concerns that large numbers of producers will quit the industry,” Mr Longthorp said.
“As the new legislation comes in, more than ever, shoppers should be looking to buy Red Tractor bacon, sausages, pork and ham as it is the only unequivocal sign that guarantees produce that complies with new EU legislation.”
Tour dates
- 12 Nov: Newcastle, Sunderland
- 13 Nov: Middlesbrough, York
- 14 Nov: Hull, Leeds
- 15 Nov: Nottingham, Derby
- 16 Nov: Leicester, Cambridge
- 19 Nov: Norwich, Ipswich
- 20 Nov: Wolverhampton, Birmingham
- 21 Nov: Bristol, Swindon
- 22 Nov: Southampton, Oxford
EU pig production may slip by 2% after sow stall ban
Philip Case on G+