Saturday March 27

Coming later today...

When the clocks change, can the first
barbecues of spring be far behind?

Not a lot has changed this week in the British pig industry, as the trade coasts gently into the Easter fortnight. Contract prices have been mostly influenced by the DAPP, which on the week has risen slightly to 142.30p/kg. However, a handful of processors have added a penny here and there to keep their prices in line with the majority.

Early on Thursday it looked as though contract pig numbers would be on the tight side, but as Friday has unfolded more numbers have appeared, and the contract trade has ended up generally in balance.

With the two short weeks in front of us the spot bacon market has been very quiet. Most buyers have not wanted to overbuy, so there is a good chance that there may be a handful of buyers in the market early next week. Quotes for spot bacon were stand-on, around the 140p/kg+ mark, although few pigs in reality have changed hands.

Lighter fresh meat processors were also very quiet, keeping numbers under control as we approach the holiday weekend. Quotes, as with the bacon pigs, were in the main stand-on. Buyers throughout the trade continue to complain about lack of demand for all red meats and identify this as the reason for such a lethargic market place.

Cull sow outlets continue to reflect the subdued market in mainland Europe, with quotes either stand-on or back a penny. Prices ranged between 100p and 103p/kg with little or no premium on offer for bigger loads, probably a result of the up and coming Easter break. There certainly was not an oversupply of cull sows; however most buyers seem to have found enough sows to keep them going for the week.

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board 30 kilo weaner price continues to rise and now stands at £53.51. There is still good demand for weaners in the marketplace, but it is accepted that the price is now likely to plateau.

And just a small reminder for all, British summertime begins tomorrow, which means barbecues are on the way! — Dan Day, Meadow Quality.

Friday March 26, 2010

Cereal growers in plea for help

In a bid to improve European Union grain prices, European farmers' organisation Copa-Cogeca urged Brussels today to use all the market tools at its disposal to improve the market, which has reached rock-bottom.

“European Union cereal farmers are being squeezed by a combination of high production costs and low market prices," warned Paul Temple, chairman of Copa-Cogecas’ working group on cereals.

He said operating costs had rocketed and credit was becoming a problem.

"This serious situation is partly down to two unusually good global harvests which have rebuilt world stocks."

European Union wheat production is expected to rise slightly in the 2010/11 marketing year, with an increase of 2 percent in the European Union planting area foreseen.

This will in turn put further pressure on prices, at a time when European Union farmers have to face new challenges, such as climate change and extreme price volatility, none of which they can control or manage.

New livery for LIPS van

It has given good service over the years but was beginning to look a bit tired, so BPEX has given the Ladies In Pigs mobile kitchen a facelift. It has been given a respray and the Quality Standard Mark has been been replaced with the Red Tractor logo. The van has given sterling service at hundreds of shows and should now serve for many more years to come, says Ladies in Pigs chairman Sue Woodall.

Thursday March 25, 2010

Look for the Red Tractor, says Anton

BACON CONNOISSEURS' WEEK UPDATE

Anton du Beke enthuses about bacon in this sizzling movie on The Independent's website, and urges shoppers always to look out for the Red Tractor.

Eating less meat has no effect on global warming

Cutting back on consumption of meat and dairy products will not have a major impact in combating global warming, according to a report presented at the 239th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Francisco.

Noting campaigns for "meatless Mondays" and a European campaign, called "Less meat equals less heat", air quality expert Frank Mitloehner,said, "We certainly can reduce our greenhouse-gas production, but not by consuming less meat and milk. Producing less meat and milk will only mean more hunger in poor countries."

The focus of confronting climate change, he said, should be on smarter farming, not less farming.

The developed world should focus on increasing efficient meat production in developing countries where growing populations need more nutritious food.

“And in developing countries, we should adopt more efficient, Western-style farming practices to make more food with less greenhouse gas production."

Bid to reduce MRSA in pigs

A Belgian research group is starting work on a project to eliminate — or at least significantly reduce — methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in pigs.

Animal-associated MRSA creates a potential danger for both animals and public health. It complicates diagnosis as it is difficult to distinguish from the more dangerous human MRSA, and secondly its virulence may vary.

Animal-associated MRSA, which can maintain itself in various ecosystems, may also acquire virulence characteristics, becoming a highly pathogenic strain.

How to get heavier piglets

Increased feeding of sows during the insemination phase results in a higher piglet birthweight, according to a study by Dutch breeding organisation Topigs at 19 Dutch pig farms.

An extra 1kg of feed intake during the insemination period resulted in a higher birth weight of 45g. Sows fed lactation feed during the insemination phase gave birth to piglets 51g heavier than sows fed gestation feed.

The research found other factors that positively influence piglet birthweight:

• More feed during gestation.
• Higher energy intake during lactation.
• Introduction of gilts via a quarantine.
• Group housing of the sows.
• No use of prostaglandins at farrowing.
• A high farm hygiene level.

Combining all positive factors, the average birth weight of piglets can in theory be increased by 442g per piglet.

Allied Industry Group national meeting

By Zoe Davies

NPA held a successful national meeting yesterday specifically for the allied industries. Allied Industry Group chairman Peter Rollings introduced the event which was split into two sections.

The first session focused on a producer's view of the pig industry going forward, and the second was geared towards finding out what allied industry members wanted from the NPA.

Producer Mike Sheldon gave an insightful presentation which identified sustainability and responsibility and cost sharing as the big issues going forward.

The battle for the meaning of the word sustainability he said would be one we needed to win in order to produce pork.

‘Our idea of what is sustainable isn’t a commonly held view and we need to change that,’ he said. Opportunities for the pig industry included the benefits of intensive farming, the pig as a waste recycler, pig manure as a source of energy, the unanswerable case for investment in the United Kingdom, and reducing the burden of endemic disease.

Concerns were the need for the pig industry to improve performance, the threat of government intervention in food production to protect food supply and the environmental impact of meat production.

Mick Sloyan followed up with another good informative presentation on global trade, factors affecting pork consumption and the importance of competitiveness.

He told the allied industry that price volatility, particularly in feed, would be a key issue going forward and warned against toxic mortgages and unsustainable lending.

Both speakers were positive about the future for the pig industry which was refreshing to hear.

For the second session, the attendees were split into break-out groups and asked to discuss the role of the NPA's allied industry members, what they did well and not so well, and innovative ideas for the Allied Industry Group to take forward.

The tables were buzzing with good ideas and in the feedback several common thoughts came back, including the fact that generally the Allied Industry Group did a good job, although communication (both internally and externally), and recruitment, could be improved.

Innovative ideas to take forward included the development of a mission statement for the Allied Industry Group, promoting the industry to stimulate new people to enter the allied trade, and to look at the potential for an Allied Industry Group dedicated area on the NPA website.

Wednesday March 24, 2010

Phillip Schofield really did take
home the British bacon tonight

BACON CONNOISSEURS' WEEK UPDATE

Phillip Schofield and his ITV "This Morning" co-host Holly Willoughby gave Bacon Connossers' Week a lengthy plug today, as BPEX delivered a side of bacon with his face etched in it. He has taken it home tonght, and will be cooking it. See the video here.

Tuesday March 23, 2010

Ladies in Pigs in bacon blitz

BACON CONNOISSEURS' WEEK UPDATE

Ladies in Pigs have been dropping off bacon sandwiches at radio stations around the country.

Jane Drew... "BBC Oxford just grabbed me and shoved me in the studio and I got about four minutes' air-time. Christine came in as well and laughed her way through the whole thing — on air!"

Anne Sheddon and Jill Piercy went on Minster FM this morning and Rita Wells did a piece on Stray FM yesterday.Barbara Hardy was interviewed on Manchester Rock FM yesterday afternoon.

Ladies in Pigs bacon sandwich drops to radio stations have been carried out by Sue Woodall,
Julia Blant, Glenda Montgomery, Sally Ham, Christine Vaughan, Anne Shedden, Jane Drewe, Frances Slade, Barbara Hardy, Lizzy Owers, Kim Arden, Arlene Morley and Miranda Shufflebotham.

Radio stations covered by Ladies in Pigs in their bacon blitz... KCFM, BBC Radio Humberside, Viking FM, Heart FM, BBC Radio Nottingham, Smooth FM, BBC Hereford and Worcestershire, BBC Bristol, Heart FM, Mercia, Stray, Radio Minster, BBC York, BBC Radio Oxford, HeartFM, Jack FM, BBC Radio Oxford, HeartFM, Jack FM, Silk FM, Macclesfield, Key103, Magic Manchester, Canalside Community Radio, BBC Lincolnshire, Lincs FM, BBC Cambridgeshire, BBC Radio Humberside, Viking FM, BBC Radio Stoke, Signal 1, Signal 2.

Anton du Beke was interviewed this afternoonon for Sky TV's "Angela and Friends".

Spotted at the weekend... Morrisons were offering buy-one-get-one-free on Danish. Steady there lads.

In a storm of promotional activity, press and radio stations have today been briefed on category winners in the Bacon Connoisseurs’ Week bacon competition.

• Lakes Speciality Foods has won the Foodservice Unsmoked category.
  
  
• Boxleys of Wombourne has won the Independent Unsmoked category.
  
  
• Supermarkets Aldi and M&S have triumphed in the retailer categories, Aldi for its Specially Selected British Dry Cure Unsmoked Bacon Rashers, and M&S processorr Cranswick for its Outdoor Bred British Smoked Dry Cured Streaky Bacon and Outdoor Bred British Demerara Sweetcure Back Bacon.
  
  
• John Pettit & Sons Ltd won the Foodservice Smoked category.
  
  
• Bradwell Butchery has won the Independent New Type category.
  
  
• J. T. Beedham & Sons Ltd has won the Independent Smoked category.
  
  
• The Country Butcher has won the Foodservice New Type category.

More workable waste regulations

New waste regulations, set to start on April 6, will see farmers and growers saving more than £4m in red-tape costs.

Originally government had proposed replacing exemptions with a system where farmers were charged every three years.

But NFU, BPEX and NPA have succeeded in getting these charges dropped, arguing such proposals would impose yet more cost burdens on the industry, discourage recycling and ultimately result in farmers sending more waste to landfill.

Lobbying has also resulted in:

• Retaining the exemption for land spreading of poultry and pig carcass ash. It was proposed that farmers could only spread waste ash under a complicated environmental permit which could have cost around £1,000.
  
  
• A new revised exemption for use of waste in construction will allow farmers to import tarmac road planings for use in farm tracks and should hopefully allow coastal farmers to repair earthen sea walls.

How to trouble-shoot ventilation headaches

BPEX has produced a pig unit ventilation DVD to help producers troubleshoot problems.

Ventilation systems are usually scrutinised when a new building is put up but they must also be regularly checked and maintained through the life of the building.

The explains what an effective pig unit ventilation system should do and how to maintain and run it. It provides advice to help producers assess their own units and make informed decisions about ventilation.

Key points to consider include:

• The typical air flow within buildings and the problems that can result from where cold air lands.
  
  
• What does pig behaviour say about the current temperature/draughts?
  
  
• Are building temperatures and outside temperatures monitored?
  
  
• Should fans have louvers over them?
  
  
• Ventilation requirements should be reviewed regularly, especially when building use or stocking level changes, for example when changing to a batch system.

To get a copy of the DVD, email kt@bpex.org.uk.

Monday March 22, 2010

Bacon Connoisseurs' Week starts today

Bacon Connoisseurs' Week starts today. The industry's bacon champion this year is nimble-footed Anton du Beke.

There's a video of Anton on the BPEX Love Pork website, which is being distributed to various foodie websites as part of a viral campaign.

He has already appeared on the television show "Market Kitchen" (Good Food Channel) to promote Bacon Connoisseurs' Week. And he will be on the Alan Titchmarsh Show (ITV) at 5pm today.

Tomorrow he will be on "Angela and Friends" (Sky 1), and on Thursday he will be on "Live from Studio Five" (5).

During the course of the week images of celebrities scoffing bacon are being presented to the following people, in the hope they will feature them on their respective shows... "This Morning," Philip Schofield, March 23 and "Saturday Kitchen," James Martin, March 27.

Today Anton will conduct 19 regional radio interviews. And an awards lunch will be held at Butchers Hall, Smithfield, where retailers and suppliers will be awarded certificates and trophies as a result of the BPEX bacon competition they entered earlier in the year.

ALL multiple retailers, and some independents are joining in the Bacon Connoisseurs' Week promotion.

There will be promotional signs at bacon shelves, on-pack stickers, in-store radio ads, in-store bacon tastings, recipe leaflets, and money-off offers.

Morrisons are running a gondola-end British pork loin joint promotion for £3 a joint (almost 1kg).

Lidl are displaying posters in all their shop front windows featuring a huge promotion on British Red Tractor bacon.

Somerfield stores are now all 100 percent British on all their bacon/pork/sausages and ham. M&S are now 100 percent British on all their bacon lines.

Feast of Fiddles at Lincoln

Feast of Fiddles at Lincoln.