NPAwants candidates to promise pig support
NPAwants candidates to promise pig support
THE National Pig Association is seeking pre-general election pledges from main party candidates to support the pig industry.
Candidates are being asked to sign an Honest Food Pledge containing promises on 10 industry issues from stopping illegal meat imports to improving labelling.
Candidates will also be sent the NPA election manifesto and a letter from campaign co-ordinator, Malcolm Baxter, with the message: "We simply ask government to ensure fair play in providing safe, nutritious, wholesome food to British customers."
Pig farmers will be lobbying candidates in person in a bid to get them to sign the pledge, said Mr Baxter. "It is a big campaign. We have got nothing to lose and everything to gain."
The NPA is also endorsing a campaign by independent candidate Clive Lawrance in Harwich. Mr Lawrance is managing director of Ciel Logistics, a company employed to remove impounded meat from Heathrow.
He has worked closely with the NPA since the start of the foot-and-mouth outbreak to highlight the amount of illegally imported meat coming into UK airports and ports. He wants urgent action to stop the influx of illegal imports.
Mr Lawrance said: "I want to voice concerns at the tremendous amount of illegally imported meat still coming into this country and support farmers hit by F&M." *