Pig men spell out plight to MPs


08 December 1998


Pig men spell out plight to MPs

By Isabel Davies

PIG industry leaders called for urgent help from the Government this morning (Tuesday) at the first session of the agriculture select committees inquiry into the UK pig industry.

Cross-party committee members were told that the crisis-hit industry would be relieved by short-term income support, additional promotional funds and temporary aid to reduce offal-rendering costs.

Pig farmers representatives also called for long-term assurances from supermarkets on improved labelling and sourcing policies which would benefit domestic, rather than imported, pigmeat.

The NFU in its evidence described how a combination of factors had led to “the current unprecedented crisis”.

Many pig farmers are losing as much as £30 on each pig sold, and the NFU calculates that the industry as a whole is losing over £6 million each week.

Pig farmers blame their problems on a global glut of pigmeat, the strength of Sterling and higher production costs caused by more stringent animal welfare standards in the UK.

National aid announced in other EU members states should either be matched or stopped, said NFU president Ben Gill.

Representatives of the British Pig Industry Support Group (BPISG) urged the Government to immediately address the problem of imported pigmeat, which is produced to less exacting standards than domestic supplies.

The BPISG also said that retailers should be made to ensure that all pigmeat sold in UK retail outlets was sourced from suppliers working to UK standards.

The pressure group also wants labelling to be improved, to help consumers differentiate imports from home-produced pigmeat.

In its submission, the British Pig Association claimed that the Government has an obligation to take action to help beleaguered producers.

The BPA believes that the Governments unilateral decision to impose the stall-and-tether ban ahead of other European Union countries has “impaired the competitive status of the industry”.

If the Government wants a viable pig sector, then the additional costs which have been heaped on the UK industry as a result of the stall-and-tether ban must be offset or removed, said a BPA statement.

The BPA also wants the Government to intensify its efforts to encourage caterers, the Ministry of Defence and local authorities to source British pigmeat products.

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