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Friday February 5, 2010

News Digest for NPA Members

Download the latest issue of News Digest for NPA Members from the Members Area.

When is an outdoor pig an outdoor pig?

You will have seen proposed production system definitions in News Digest and Pig World last year. It has proved more time-consuming and complex than expected to reach the latest drafts (see link below).

If you are an outdoor producer please study them and let NPA’s Barney Kay have your thoughts by February 15, so he can feed back a summary of views to BPEX.

At present there is no legal definition of ‘free range’, ‘outdoor bred’ and ‘outdoor reared’ pigmeat. And some in the pig industry have considered the liberal use of the term ‘outdoor’ on packaging to be a public relations howler waiting to happen.

But before the English pig industry can tell consumers what it means by these terms, it has to reach agreement within its own ranks, and this has proved more difficult — certainly more controversial — than originally anticipated.

The draft definitions below have been produced by BPEX with the help of a small group of NPA producers, the British Pig Association and RSPCA.

Production definitions.

Successful cluster meeting

Yorkshire and Humberside Health reports a most successful Mappleton cluster meeting last night.

"There were 15 producers and it was a very enthusiastic meeting," said Sam Hoste this morning. "Eight biosecurity questionnaires were filled in, and the forms for both the vet pilot and the vet survey.

" David Neal was excellent at explaining the Dent system, their openness and their involvement with a number of the farms in the area.

"We also discussed stage two and developing information on the cost of what they want to do in stage two. It was a great meeting"

Sales manager at ACMC

Tim Clarke has been appointed United Kingdom sales manager at ACMC. He has wide production and marketing experience in the pig industry.

After gaining agricultural qualifications at Shuttleworth College he became a stockman, moving to become head of the testing department for an international pig breeding company.

He then managed a highly-productive 400-sow herd, set-up on a greenfield site in County Durham, for a pig production partnership.

Other posts involved selection of pig breeding stock and co-ordination of exports. He moves to ACMC from a specialist feed supplement company.

In his new post he will work from his home in Long Buckby, Northamptonshire, and ACMC’s Beeford headquarters. He is married with two grown-up children.

Thursday February 4, 2010

You're tail-docking for the hell of it...

It is hard to over-emphasise the importance of the current round of Defra-sponsored meetings on tail-biting.

If you don’t turn up... there’ll be nobody to
explain that you’re not tail-docking just for the hell of it. There'll be nobody to challenge any ill-informed generalisations that are made.

And who knows what inappropriate messages will be fed back to the Defra policy-making machine as a result?

Is there a meeting near you? If so please attend. It is extremely important that you do.

ABOUT THE MEETINGS

ADAS and Animal Health veterinary officers are presenting interactive workshops open to all producers, unit staff and members of the pig industry. Besides focusing on many trigger factors for tail biting, each speaker will highlight a case study where an eradication programme has been successful. The workshops will close with a panel assembled from the different specialists to discuss resolution of case studies raised by the audience.

• February 9: 7pm-9.30pm Uncle Henrys, Grayingham, Lincs.
  
  
• February 10: 7pm-9.30pm The Crown, Boroughbridge, North Yorks.
  
  
• February 11: 7pm-9.30pm Driffield Rugby Club, East Yorks.
  
  
• February 23: 7pm-9.30pm Premier Inn, Daventry.
  
  
• February 24: 7pm-9.30pm The Bear, Hodnet.
  
  
• March 2: 7pm-9.30pm. Easton College, Norwich.
  
  
• March 3: 7pm-9.30pm Brome Grange, Near Eye, Suffolk.

For details and how to book a place, click on this link:
www.aplus.adas.co.uk/Services/AHW/Animal-Health-Welfare-Workshops-on-Tail-biting.aspx

Or contact Georgie Fomes, 01354 697200, or email georgie.fomes@adas.co.uk.

Please let Zoe Davies know at NPA, which workshop you plan to attend.

Science not emotion

European farmers' organisation Copa-Cogeca (of which NPA is a member) today stressed the need to ensure European legislation is based on good scientific evidence and that Europe's high welfare standards also apply to imports.

Speaking in Brussels, Copa-Cogeca secretary-general Pekka Pesonen said, “All too often debates governing animal welfare become highly emotional and are based on biased information.

"European Union legislation must be based on sound scientific evidence, accompanied by an impact assessment which takes into account the socio-economic costs and effects on industry and trade. Consultation with key stakeholders is crucial."

Copa-Cogeca believes Europe's welfare requirements must also be applied to imports from non-European Union countries.

Per Olsen, chairman of Copa-Cogecas’ working party on animal health and welfare, has welcomed the European Parliaments’ draft report "Evaluation and Assessment of the Animal Welfare Action Plan 2006-2010" by Marit Paulsen, especially its recognition that high welfare standards result in additional costs for farmers.

"But the draft report does not ensure the same standards apply to imports. Some issues also go beyond the scope of the draft report and should be dealt with in the framework of the European Union animal health strategy," he said.

Copa-Cogeca advocates a cost-sharing approach so that the costs of higher welfare standards are passed on to all actors in the food chain, including consumers.

News Digest

The next issue of News Digest for NPA members will be emailed this Friday-Saturday.

Non-conformances

The NPA members-only area has been updated today.

NPA regional meetings

The next round of NPA regional meetings will be as follows:

SOUTH-CENTRAL REGION
Monday 29 March, 6.30pm-9.30pm, Newbury Rugby Club.

NORTHERN REGION
Thursday 15 April, 6.30pm-9.30pm, The Crown Hotel, Boroughbridge.

EAST ANGLIA REGION
Tuesday 20 April, 4.00pm-7.00pm, Athelington Hall (Peter Havers), Eye.

Forty percent chose the one that sizzles

When asked to choose between bacon and sex, more than 40 percent of Canadians opt for bacon, according to a survey commissioned by Maple Leaf. Their number one frustration is with typical packaging (still talking about bacon) which can't be reclosed, and (still talking about bacon) is too messy.

Less salmonella poisoning

In 2008, salmonella was the second most often reported zoonotic disease in humans in the European Union, but the number of reported cases is going down, year by year.

In foods, salmonella was most often detected in fresh broiler meat (5.1 percent) and turkey meat (5.6 percent). To a lesser degree it was found in pigmeat (0.7 percent).

Salmonella was rarely detected in other foodstuffs, such as dairy products, fruit and vegetables. However, in sprouts, herbs and spices some higher levels of contamination were reported. Products in non-compliance with the European Union salmonella criteria were mainly observed in minced meat and meat preparations.

National meeting for allied industry people

NPA is to hold a national allied industry meeting on Wednesday March 24 at the Haycock Hotel, which is on the A1 near Peterborough.

We want to update allied industry people on all the issues facing pig producers, which in turn will help them make the right choices to shape their businesses so they can continue offering pig producers an excellent and essential service, says Peter Rollings, chairman of NPA’s Allied Industry Group.

Speakers will include producer Mike Sheldon and BPEX director Mick Sloyan.

The meeting will discuss NPA’s work on behalf of its allied industry members and seek views on what allied industry members want for their representative organisation.

It event is free and open to both members and non-members. It starts 10am and ends 2.30pm.

AGENDA

• 10am–10.30am: Registration and tea/coffee.
  
  
• Welcome and introduction (Peter Rollings).
  
  
• Challenges and opportunities for pig producers through the next decade (Mike Sheldon).
  
  
• Market signals – do the trends back up the predictions? (Mick Sloyan, BPEX).
  
  
• The NPA Allied Industry Group – what does it do for you? (Peter Rollings).
  
  
• Break-out groups. Attendees will split into four groups to discuss a range of issues including how they can align business to the needs of the customer and what the NPA Allied Industry Group can do for its members.
  
  
• Feedback to the main group and discussion.
  
  
• 13.30pm–14.30 Lunch and depart.

Invite and faxback form.

Pre-emptive strike shows new supermarket code is long overdue, says NFU

Retrospective demands for money and changes to trading terms are just some of the shady dealings being reported to the NFU in the days before a new code to govern retailer/supplier trading is introduced.

The new Grocery Suppliers Code of Practice, due to start today, will provide retailers with guidelines for dealing with suppliers and contains an over-riding principle of fair-dealing.

Recent retail buyer behaviour demonstrates, the start of the strengthened code, policed by an independent ombudsman, can’t come quickly enough.

“Recent reports to me about retailer behaviour in the supply chain have demonstrated nothing but bully-boy tactics,” said NFU president Peter Kendal yesterday.

“This week should have been marked by a sea-change in grocery supply chain relationships with our farmer and grower members but instead in the past ten days I have heard how suppliers to major retailers have faced some of the most unreasonable demands for retrospective payments and changes to trading terms that we’ve ever seen.

“Retailers are effectively launching pre-emptive strikes on suppliers before the new Grocery Suppliers Code of Practice – and the protection it affords - comes into force. Squeezing the very life-blood out of British producers will only reduce supply and, in the long-term, affect consumer choice.

“The whole supply-chain should be working together to meet the long term challenges that the food system faces; feeding a growing global population while impacting less on the environment. However, this sort of short-termism is hugely damaging."

Tuesday February 2, 2010

All-British M&S

From this week, Marks & Spencer guarantees all the bacon, sausages and eggs in its stores are British.

“Supporting British farmers has always been at the heart of our business, and we know how important buying British is to our customers," said Claire Hodgson, product developer at Marks & Spencer.

Packaging across M&S’s bacon and sausages will be clearly labelled with country of origin and the meat content on the front of pack.

Monday February 1, 2010

Ban lower-welfare imports, say MEPs

A call will go out to the European Commission to ban third country imports that don’t meet European welfare standards.

This isn’t particularly important at present, as third-country pork has to overcome European Union tariffs — but if the principle is accepted it could be crucial to the survival of the European pig industry when import barriers are lowered as part of a future World Trade Organisation agreement.

The Commission should also establish a uniform system of sanctions and penalties in the event of non-compliance with welfare legislation, Swedish Liberal MEP Marit Paulsen told the European Parliament Agriculture and Rural Development Committee.

And the administration of antibiotics should be curtailed, because — she claimed — a growing number of animal and human diseases are growing immune and resistant to such medication.

In broad terms, MEPs at the meeting supported her call for stringent enforcement of current welfare legislation.

They insist that suitable mechanisms are already in place to do this, and therefore a European Centre for Animal Welfare (currently under consideration by the European Commission) is unnecessary.

Amendments on Paulsen’s report must be tabled by February 9. The committee will take a vote on the report in March.

Email updates reduce the frustration

“Improving the environmental performance of the farm is a priority for us but we get frustrated when we’re told we have to comply with waste regulations but are not given guidance on how we can achieve this,” says John Hutchinson, farm manager at 2,000-acre arable and pig Needwood House Farm, in Staffordshire.

He says he finds the environmental guidance website www.NetRegs.gov.uk a help, particularly the email updates which help in keep him up-to-date with what the farm needs to do to comply with current waste legislation.

“The new Learning about Agricultural Waste tool is in a farmer-friendly format, which makes environmental compliance seem much less daunting. Rather than having to sift through pages of information you can find what you need at the click of a button.”

Needwood House Farm produces over 17 tonnes of waste a year, mainly from fertiliser bags, spray containers and plastic wrapping. The farm uses external waste contractors to recycle the majority of the waste produced by the farm but it has to ensure that the refuse is sorted and bagged up in the correct way before it can be removed.

Pig farm incomes up again

Average farm business income is forecast to have increased over 140 percent on United Kingdom specialist pig farms last year, reports Defra.

This reflects higher prices seen during the course of the year for finished pigs, cull sows, weaners and store pigs and the lower prices for some key inputs, particularly feed.

The value of United Kingdom pig production increased 17 percent to £1 billion, the highest value seen since 1997.

Polish pig herd starts to recover

The Polish pig herd, which plummeted to a 40-year low in recent years as a result of increased competition from other European Union countries, showed significant growth last year, with the sow herd up over six percent. From being 100 percent self-sufficient in pork until 2007, Poland has moved to being only 83 percent self-sufficient. Although the sow herd has increased in size, this has yet to show through in total pigs which remain almost the same as in 2008 at 14.2m.

Fresh pork sales up 70 percent

Cranswick’s organic growth — that's from the underlying business — in the three months to December was 17 percent, with 14 percent growth from Cranswick Country Foods Norfolk, which the company bought in June last year.

If Cranswick Country Foods Norfolk’s business is taken into account, sales of fresh pork jumped 70 percent. Bacon sales were up by 61 percent and sausages, cooked meats and continental products increased by 21 percent, 17 percent and 9 percent respectively.

A good Christmas for pork

The volume of pork bought in the four weeks to December 27 was up 14 percent compared with the same period a year earlier. Over Christmas, purchases of all pork roasting joints increased an average 25 percent, accounting for 58 percent of all fresh and frozen pork purchases — that’s an increase from 54 percent during the same four-week period in 2008. As a result of increased purchases and higher prices last year, spending on pork rose by almost six percent compared with 2008 to £843m. The multiples increased their share of total pork purchases last year to 86 percent, mainly at the expense of butchers.

Danish Crown throughput and turnover down

Two of Europe’s biggest pork exporters saw big falls in their export business in the first nine months of last year.

Danish pork exports were down around 12 percent and Dutch exports were down 10 percent. Falls like this are unprecedented in recent years.

One of the reasons for the decline in Danish and Dutch export business is that producers in both countries are now sending huge volumes of weaners and finishers to Germany, where they attract better prices. But also the stronger euro has not helped their export business with non-euro countries.

The decline in net production in Denmark is putting pressure on Danish Crown. It has been forced to restructure its processing facilities and suspend new investment in its Danish plants.

Labour costs in its Danish plants are much higher than those in Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom. Total throughput (essentially pork) of Danish Crown in the year ended September 2009 was down 10 percent and total turnover by five percent.

Fire at Vion Haverhill plant

Firefighters have been tackling a blaze at Vion's Haverhill plant today. At the height of the blaze, six fire crews were in attendance.

Christmas kill up ten percent

United Kingdom finished pig slaughterings in December were up ten percent on a year ago —that's 70,000 head. Abattoirs in England and Wales (which account for 80 percent of the total) found their throughputs up nine percent higher, and slaughterings in Northern Ireland were up 22 percent. But slaughterings in Scotland were down three percent.

Less than balanced

By Hugh Crabtree

I attended the event at Portcullis House last week — "Pig Business - Time For A Change". Whilst I applaud Tracy Worcester's efforts to maintain the pressure for honest food labelling and to persuade British consumers to choose pork products sourced locally, like Ian Campbell (see report below), I too found some of the experts to be less than balanced in their expertise. Continued.

Sunday January 31 2010

'Hat's off to glass-half-full Tracy'

By Ian Campbell

Those who saw Tracy Worcester’s film “Pig Business” on More TV last year will have struggled to separate out the thrust of the programme in support of better labelling that will assist British producers, and some of the negative images of “factory” farming in Eastern Europe, capable of turning consumers off eating pork wherever it is farmed.

On Wednesday night at a meeting “Pig Business - time for a change”, Tracy and her friend Zac Goldsmith spoke passionately in front of a good attendance of MPs on the importance of supporting local produce with better labelling.

The division bells rang part way through the proceedings which rapidly emptied the room of MPs, leaving a smattering of us pig wallahs and those of a ‘greener’ persuasion to continue the dialogue.

The meeting was chaired by John Callaghan, international director of Compassion in World Farming, and sought to cover animal welfare, the environment, human health and rural livelihoods.

Strangely enough I thought both Kate Parkes, of RSPCA, and Peter Stevenson of Compassion in World Farming, gave sensible papers. That sounds a bit unfair to Kate since the RSPCA has worked closely with the pig industry to look for solutions to some of the more intractable problems, such as tail-biting, whereas the same cannot be said for Compassion in World Farming in recent months.

The thrust of Peter Stevenson’s paper was about European Union enforcement of current legislation on mutilations and manipulable material.

I may thoroughly disagree with the potential outcome of Compassion in World Farming’s campaigns - which in too many cases will result in poorer, not better, animal welfare - but I do have some understanding of the frustration he feels having got legislation passed and seeing it largely ignored by member countries.

I was less enthusiastic about the environment/health papers where the speakers mirrored our last prime minister in deciding an answer to a problem and then applying selected facts to fit that argument.

I was unable to suppress calling out “Not true” when the link was made between the pig as a mixing vessel, intensive farms and the outbreak of H1N1 novel A virus in Mexico.

I also took issue with the Soil Association’s use of the MRSA type 398 in Holland to smear intensive pig production via use of antibiotics. To talk about the high level of antibiotic use in pig production both here and elsewhere in Europe and then not explain why the United Kingdom came out with a clean bill of health for this strain of staphylococci is less than honest.

Stewart Houston’s paper was thoughtful and constructive, making the primary point that support for welfare measures already in place by buying British can only lead to a profitable industry that is both willing and capable of finding solutions to the more intractable animal welfare issues.

Organisations such as Compassion in World Farming can do a huge amount of good for our industry by influencing the buyers of meat to source raw material only from production that meets certain criteria.

In return we have to accept the need to work with them to find solutions to those areas where the common objective of better animal welfare can be achieved.

All in all – hats off to Tracy Worcester for seeing the glass as half full and backing British pig producers!

Pig units going cheap in Canada

Covering Banff Pork Conference as part of his Nuffield Scholarship, south-west producer Andrew Freemantle noted the availability of some very cheap pig units which the banks own as a result of foreclosures, and would like to get rid of.

There may be opportunities for British producers, he says, “but remember, the cold is unbelievable.

“One of the welfare meetings at the conference dealt with transportation and the problems caused by pigs getting frozen circles on their skin. These were the ones against the side of the lorry near the ventilation holes and this happens at -30c!”

KEY POINTS FROM THE CONFERENCE

By Andrew Freemantle

On pork marketing models...

Pork is always a commodity. Every business should differentiate. Target customers to maximise revenue. Value equation – quality and price (price being the most important). There are no untapped markets out there. The only thing that flows along the Canadian supply chain is pigs.

On pork advertising...

Ellen Goddard reported young people across the world are not eating pork like their parents do and this is a big challenge for the worldwide pork industry. In Canada both price and demand declined - a very bad combination.

Since October 2007 the United States and Canadian herds have declined by 500,000 sows. But productivity is up. Country of origin labelling helps net importers (like Britain) not net exporters (like Denmark). Something for us to look forward to?

On how China affects us all...

China is the largest importer of soya in the world. Pork is the most important thing in its consumer price index basket. Over the last 14 years Chinese consumers have increased meat consumption by 30 percent.

China has 22 percent of the world’s population but only 7 percent of its arable land. Each person eats 38kg of pork a year. It is a government priority to achieve a stable pork supply. 48m tons of pork are eaten this year and this will have grown to 91m tonnes by 2015.

To meet demand China will import feed to grow more pigs, rather than import pigmeat. There are opportunities for safe, fresh, processed pork in the wealthier areas. It might only be a tiny amount of total pork eaten but due to the size of market it could still be huge business. Much emphasis is placed on safe food after the recent problems China has had. Sausages have potential... British sausages?

On world recession...

United Kingdom consumer spending is 65 percent of gross domestic product, second only to the United States, hence we are lowest in the G20 tables.

Rising oil is always a risk, because of the effect on grain markets. It’s the best thing to use as a barometer of the world economy.

If unemployment rates in the United States are high, United States consumers are careful. If they are low, they spend and that drives the world economy. At the moment unemployment rates are dropping from historical highs. Hence the world is starting to come out of recession.

On contributions by the Brits...

East Anglia vet John Mackinnon give a good talk on immunocastration and Mick Hazzledine likewise on nutrition.

Whilst in Canada I met up with two well-known ex-pats, consultant Bernard Peet consultant, and Steve Thomas, of Elanco. Both are loving the opportunities Canada offers.

New sausages bring in extra donations for Britain's heroes

The Help for Heroes charity is to benefit from to two new varieties of pork sausages that are now being sold in Tesco stores across southern England.

The sausages, made from farm assured pork from British pigs, and called, respectively Hair of the Hog, and Pickled Pig, use award-winning recipes created by Aldershot family butchers A. Turner and Sons.

They will be sold at 25 Tesco stores to help raise funds for soldiers injured in battle. “Our family has a strong connection with the military and I wanted to give something back to them and Tesco really loved the idea,” said Paul Turner, third generation butcher and joint owner of A. Turner and Sons.

Promotion for Paul

Paul Anderson has been appointed international sales director at JSR. Previously he was European sales director. He joined JSR in 1988, when he looked after the Midlands, Shropshire and the home counties. “I look forward to further developing JSR in Asia and Latin America whilst retaining a core focus within the European Union,” he said. “With partners in 15 countries and joint ventures in three more we will continue to harness research and development knowledge to ensure the United Kingdom remains at the top of the drive for competitive and profitable pig production.”