Tuesday May 11, 2010

Chris Brant Award 2010

This year’s Chris Brant Award winner is Nigel Penlington, who helps steer English producers through increasingly labyrinthine environmental regulations, particularly IPPC.

“Without his intervention in the debacle that is IPPC, there would be many whose investment plans would have been thwarted by impenetrable red-tape,” said chairman of judges Richard Longthorp.

“With his direct help, these businesses have managed to push forward and not, yet, be suffocated by IPPC.”

The award was presented today at British Pig and Poultry Fair by television farming presenter Adam Henson.

In his citation as chairman of judges, Richard Longthorp said, “The Chris Brant Award — formerly known as the Pig Industry Service Award — is made to someone who has gone the 'extra mile' on behalf of the pig industry.

“Many past winners of this award could be termed pig industry ‘lifers’. This year's winner is not a pig industry lifer but, although a relative newcomer to our industry, his impact on the industry has been massive.

“His ability to critically analyse Environment Agency technospeak and challenge both questionable science and also Britain’s interpretation of European Union law — and then present the facts in a fashion we can all understand — is now legend.

'Even Environment Agency staff recognise his ability to help them interact more effectively with producers.”

He said BPEX environmental programme manager Nigel Penlington, was highly competent in analytical and communication skills, which he had turned to exceptional use to the benefit of pig producers.

“He is always available to give practical one-to-one advice and this has been much appreciated by many recipients,” said Richard Longthorp.

He said the English pig industry had suffered a lack of investment for over a decade and even now, after a reasonable period of sustained profitability, for many there would still be nagging doubts about investing in a new grower or finisher house, were it not for Nigel Penlington’s help with environmental regulation.

“He is a well-known and respected member of the Institute of Agricultural Engineers. Not bad really, for an oily rag and spanner man who is happiest when restoring old tractors or replacing malfunctioning parts on his slightly disreputable old Land-Rover.”

The Chris Brant Award is an annual reward. The winner is chosen from industry nominations. This year there were 20 nominations from producers and the allied trades.

The award is organised by Pig World in association with the National Pig Association and the Royal Agricultural Society of England, and is sponsored by Richard Longthorp, pig producer and chairman of Lantra’s National Council for England.

This year’s judges, in addition to Richard Longthorp, were Hugh Crabtree, who was last year's winner, and John Cusson, who along with the late Chris Brant, won the PIPS Enterprise Award (the forerunner of the Pig Industry Service Award) in 1999.

NPA 10th ANNIVERSARY PARTY

WHEN? 5pm, Tuesday May 11.

WHERE? NPA stand (69-70) at British Pig and Poultry Fair.

WHO IS INVITED? All NPA members.

NPA will be marking its tenth anniversary at this year’s British Pig and Poultry Fair. If you are a member, you are invited to the NPA stand at 5pm on the first day, to a celebration of NPA’s successes over the years.

Chairman Stewart Houston will have a few words to say on what we have achieved to date, and the challenges ahead, and there will be a couple of presentations to industry achievers.

But the main business of the evening will be a musical interlude by Pete Lincoln, who you will know best as lead singer with The Sweet - although expect something a little less raucous than “Ballroom Blitz”.

Hugh Crabtree has been persuaded to bring his Feast of Fiddles melodian and may be coaxed into participating.

The NPA party has been timed so that those attending the ABN dinner can enjoy an hour or so with their NPA colleagues before before departing for the dinner.

A display on the NPA stand will highlight some of the challenges that have been met by NPA over a difficult decade. Nibbles and drinks will be provided by NPA.

Monday May 10, 2010

The stands were going up at Stoneleigh today, in readiness for British Pig and Poultry Fair on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Above: The NPA and Pig World stand, 69-70, in Hall Two. Below: The BOCM PAULS stand, also in Hall Two.

Below: Osborne Europe's stand, 309.

Sunday May 9, 2010

Pfizer Trainee of the Year Award, 2010

By Digby Scott

Entries are invited for the Pfizer Trainee of the Year Award 2010. An entry form will be included in a four-page special in the centre of June issue of Pig World. Deadline for entries is July 30.

All pig production people who can demonstrate they are making effective use of training opportunities to further their careers are eligible to compete for a prize worth over £2,500.

• A £2,000 training grant provided by Pfizer.
  
• A £500 cash prize provided by Pig World.
  
• A winner's trophy provided by Pfizer.
  
• A night's hotel accommodation in central London.

The winner will receive his or her award from a government minister at a Pfizer pig and poultry awards ceremony in the House of Commons.

Founded by Agskills, the Pfizer Trainee of the Year Award has gone from strength to strength since it became a national award in 2007.

It has proved to be outstandingly motivational, not only for entrants and their employers, but for the industry as a whole.

FRIENDLY JUDGES

And although it has been said before, it bears repeating that nobody, however new to the industry, should be nervous about going before the judging panel.

If your employer wants to enter you for the award, relish the compliment and enjoy your time in front of the judging panel.

As soon as you walk in the room on judging day, you will find the three judges are on your side. They want you to do well in the award and to go on and have a long and rewarding career in the British pig industry.

Remember also, that the judges are interested in the practical skills you are acquiring through your training — not your literary skills. So there are no written questions to contend with, just a shortish, friendly, informal interview.

REWARDING CAREERS

As many employers and their staff will know, training and continuous professional development feature large in the British pig industry these days, thanks in large part to Agskills, which pioneered the concept of a more competent, more professional industry.

The benefits and rewards include:

• Improved competitiveness and, it is to be hoped, a gradual closing of the cost-of-production gap between Britain and its continental competitors.
  
  
• Improved life-long career prospects for pig unit staff.
  
  
• Greater job satisfaction for staff, and better rewards as they move up the promotion ladder.
  
  
• Improved ability of the pig industry to attract and keep good people of all ages and from all walks of life.
  
  
• Improved understanding in Whitehall and among regulators that the pig industry is leading the way among the farming sectors in professionalism, technical skills and risk reduction.

The judging panel of the Pfizer Trainee of the Year Award will once again be chaired by producer Richard Longthorp, who used to be described on this page as the pig industry's Training Czar, but whom we can now more accurately describe as the entire English farming industry's Training Czar.

He will be accompanied by consultant Gerry Brent, who pioneered on-site training for pig industry people, and in particular the industry's much-admired Certificates of Competence.

These two will be accompanied by a specialist pig vet, to be chosen in the next few weeks.

TRAINING GRANT

Among the award prizes particularly appreciated by winners, are a night in a central London hotel paid for by Pfizer, with £500 cash from Pig World.

Meanwhile the Pfizer £2,000 training grant is of wider benefit to the pig business as a whole. It may be spent by the winner's employer to further the winner's career, or to provide training to benefit the whole team.

Winner in 2007 was Paul Hume who worked for the then Bowes of Norfolk.

"We asked Paul if he was happy for the £2,000 training grant to be used for company training rather than training just for himself and he agreed," said Jim Burling, pig production manager of East Anglian Pig Company. "This meant that not only did he benefit, but another 11 people did as well."

Bowes/East Anglian Pig Company used the grant to employ Cedar Associates to carry out four management training sessions for a dozen people.

"The sessions were very well received and certainly achieved what we wanted them to achieve," said Jim Burling.

"They were held off-site which gave two advantages... one, staff had the chance to interact with their colleagues from other units, and two, it got them away from their own units and allowed them to concentrate on the training.

"The lessons learned in the sessions were relevant and useful and we find that staff are still using what they learned today."

ROLL OF HONOUR

• 2007 — Paul Hume, Bowes of Norfolk.
• 2008 — Zoltan Lovas, Midland Pig Producers.
• 2009 — Georgina Cherrill, of Ermine Farms.
• 2010 — ???

Brussels targets salmonella in pigs

Reducing salmonella on pig breeding units will result in the highest reduction in human cases of the infection, according to a scientific opinion by the European Food Safety Authority's panel on biological hazards.

Broadly speaking, pigs and pigmeat may be responsible for 10-20 percent of all human cases of salmonellosis in the European Union.

A 100-fold reduction of the number of salmonella bacteria on contaminated pig carcasses would result in a 60-80 percent reduction in cases of infection originating from pigmeat consumption, according to the European Food Safety Authority.

For member countries with lower levels of salmonella in pigmeat, ensuring feed is salmonella-free is the most effective way of reducing human cases.

Brussels will propose targets for salmonella reduction in slaughter pigs later this year, and in breeding pigs during the first half of next year.

European farm incomes plummet

European Union farm income fell nearly 12 percent last year, compared to 2008.Real agricultural income per worker fell in 21 member countries.

Worst hit were Hungary (-32.2 percent), Luxembourg (-25.2 percent), Ireland (-23.6 percent), Germany (-21 percent) and France (-19 percent).

On the other hand six countries saw income increases — Malta, Denmark, Finland, Cyprus, Belgium and Greece.

The fall in incomes across most of Europe was caused by falling returns for milk (-30 percent), pigs (-3.8 percent), poultry (-3.3 percent) and cattle (-1.2 percent). The price of fertilisers increased 3.7 percent.

Between 2000 and 2009, jobs in agricultural in the European Union have plummeted 25 percent — that's 3.7m full-time jobs.

"Without the basic income stability provided by direct aids, farmers would not be able to deliver the public goods that they provide," said European Union farm commissioner Dacian Cioloş.

"These figures confirm our worst fears… European Union politicians must take action immediately to improve the difficult situation," said Pekka Pesonen of European farmers' union Copa-Cogeca.

Saturday May 8, 2010

Marketing levy poll — results so far

There have been 22 submissions so far (8am Saturday) to the NPA Marketing Poll (see below for details) with the overwhelming majority in favour of a special levy. When the poll has closed and we publish the results, we will show them per-voter and per-sow to see if there is a significant difference. There have been only two anonymous submissions. These haven't been included.

Friday May 7, 2010

Red Tractor Pork marketing fund?
Yes or No?

PIG LEVY-PAYERS ARE INVITED TO TAKE PART IN THIS POLL

This is a poll about ideas. Voting 'yes' or 'no' doesn't commit levy-payers to any particular course of action.

But your response will help guide NPA. In particular it will show NPA whether it is worth asking BPEX to devote time and energy to working up ideas for a marketing campaign for Red Tractor Pork.

The question we are asking is this...

• During this window of relative prosperity, should producers be investing in their future by paying a special marketing levy to promote Red Tractor Pork, Bacon and Ham?

The idea was posed by producer Jimmy Butler two months ago. He developed his theme, to general acclaim, at a recent NPA regional meeting in East Anglia.

He fears the industry is not doing nearly enough to protect its premium, which is currently nearly 30p, and points out that 80p a pig would soon raise an impressive £10m marketing pot.

Here are some thoughts to consider before voting.

• Successful brands have significant annual marketing budgets.

• To sponsor a television series such as "Come dine with me" would cost us around £1m.

• To recruit a top-notch celebrity chef to be the face of the English pig industry would cost us £1m upwards (but the cost of adverts featuring the chef would be extra).

• In its 2010-2011 financial year, BPEX has earmarked £3m for its total marketing spend for Red Tractor Pork (including staff etc.).

• Sue Woodall, chairman of Ladies in Pigs, says the change to the Red Tractor is proving to be of major benefit. She says shoppers really do recognise the Red Tractor and many have a good general idea of what it stands for.

• A voluntary marketing levy, collected via processors, would mean no legal restriction on directly promoting "British". On the other hand, pig-keepers could choose to opt out of paying the levy if they wished. The industry would determine how the money would be spent. It might ask BPEX to act as its advertising agent — ie. to create a suitable campaign and place the adverts and press releases in appropriate media.

• A statutory bolt-on levy, approved by government and collected by BPEX, would restrict the campaign to promoting the Red Tractor as the industry brand, rather than "British". But would this matter, as the Red Tractor is well recognised, and carries the Union Flag anyway?

• Currently the BPEX marketing team is increasing its use of the internet as a means of promoting pork, partly because it cannot afford big television and press campaigns any more. But if a new pot of money became available it may well look at "old media" (television, radio and Press).

If you are a pig levy-payer, please take part in the following poll.

"IPPC and you" — available at Pig Fair

A special edition of NPA News Digest will be available on the NPA stand at Pig Fair.

Produced by NPA and BPEX, it is targeted at pig-keepers who expect to be applying for an IPPC permit this year.

Containing practical advice from Nigel Penlington, of BPEX, Barney Kay, of NPA, and Lizzie Press, of BQP, it guides would-be members of the "IPPC Club" through the process of gathering all the necessary paperwork together, and then completing the forms.

Joining IPPC is not a process to be undertaken lightly, caution the authors — and once you are in the club, you will be bound by its exacting rules.

A further special edition of News Digest will be published in a few weeks, offering step-by-step help to IPPC permit-holders who expect to applying for a permit variation this year.

Outdoor pork definitions... a solution is in sight

A solution is in sight for outdoor producers who want their product to be eligible for the definition "Outdoor Bred".

They may be able to keep dry and gestating sows indoors for up to seven weeks in each production cycle, as long as they seek, and are granted, a special derogation.

This is the solution that has been proposed to overcome disagreement in the industry over exactly what constitutes "Outdoor Bred".

Some producers say it should mean the sows are outdoors one hundred percent of the time. Others say it should be sufficient for them just to have farrowed outdoors.

The solution, proposed by Mick Sloyan, of BPEX — who has aged 30 years during the two-year consultation process — was accepted by NPA Producer Group yesterday, and will now go before the BPEX board.

NPA congratulated Mick Sloyan on finding a practical and elegant solution to what threatened to become a damaging stalemate over the definition "Outdoor Bred".

Readers of this page will be aware the definitions Outdoor Reared, Total Outdoors and Free Range have progressed through a lengthy producer and consumer consultation in a harmonious and timely manner.

But Outdoor Bred proved a sticking point, because some producers bring their sows indoors onto thick straw for greater or lesser periods.

Producers are at liberty to raise their pigs however they like, but they will have to comply with whichever definition is appropriate to their system, if they want the retailers who buy their pork to be able to use the official production definition.

Production definitions are part of the industry's work on a voluntary code of practice for the labelling of pork and pork products.

The definitions will tell consumers exactly what they are getting when they buy pork labelled from outdoor pigs.

The latest proposal for Outdoor Bred pork is that sows should be kept outdoors throughout their productive life.

But where soil and/or weather constraints make it necessary they may be brought indoors for up to seven weeks, as long as a derogation has been granted.

Requests for a derogation will be considered by a code of practice management board and, if granted, will be reviewed after two years.

Companies operating under a derogation must make the information about the production system available to consumers through literature, on websites, or on request.

Having got NPA approval for the definition yesterday, Mick Sloyan breathed a sigh of relief that dislodged several tiles from the roof of the adjacent Defra building.

He will now take the definitions to the BPEX board, then to processors, then to retailers. After that he may have a nice lie down.

(Accidental) double-counting by Defra

By Digby Scott

It is fitting, perhaps, that it should have happened on Gordon Brown's watch. And it's even more fitting that it should be revealed on election day.

Defra has been doing some double-counting and it's put BPEX's predictions and spending plans out for the new financial year.

For most of last year, Defra inadvertently double-counted slaughter figures from two abattoirs. Under normal circumstances BPEX would probably have queried the slaughter figures.

But what with changes caused by becoming part of Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, and the consequent relocation to Stoneleigh from Milton Keynes, the higher-than-expect slaughter figures went unremarked.

As BPEX's forecasts — including its levy income — were based on projections of the Defra slaughter figures, its estimated income for 2010-2011 is now out by approaching £1m — around £800,000.

The BPEX board will decide next week whether to stick to the original budget by raiding reserves, or to make cuts in order to rebalance the budget.

"We have had talks with Defra and the Meat Hygiene Service and set up procedures to make sure this doesn't happen again," BPEX director Mick Sloyan told yesterday's meeting of NPA Proeucer Group.

Government sets "unrealistic" targets for pig-keepers

The Climate Change Levy discount scheme is drawing to a close. Its replacement will be far less bountiful.

The scheme has saved its 200 pig-keeper members a total of £260,000 a year in climate change levy, and probably a further £150,000 a year in reduced energy use — so average savings have been around £2,000 per member per year.

Next year the climate change levy discount will be cut back from 80 percent to 65 percent, which means the pig sector’s total discount will fall from 260k a year, to 210k.

And then, when a follow-on scheme is introduced, pig-keeper members will be required to reduce energy consumption by 40 percent by 2015.

And they will no longer be able to buy cheap UK Trading Scheme carbon at £2.50-£3 a tonne to help meet their target.

They will have to use a European trading scheme, where carbon is currently around £12 a tonne.

NPA takes the view that the proposed new scheme could spell an end to pig sector participation.

It is working with Farm Energy to persuade government to make its plans more realistic. With this in mind scheme members will soon received a questionnaire, designed to arm industry negotiators with some facts and figures.

Members area

The NPA members area has been updated this morning.

New welfare rules to be unveiled next spring

Broad proposals for reform of European animal welfare law will be published early next year, according to health commissioner John Dalli yesterday.

Given the interest Brussels and members of the European Parliament are showing in farrowing crates, tail-docking, slats and space allowances, there is some concern about what this might mean for pig producers.

But members of an NPA mission to Brussels have been assured that currently there is more interest in achieving Europe-wide compliance with existing legislation than there is in introducing new pig welfare measures.

The Commission’s resolve to enforce existing legislation will be put to the test next year when Europe’s battery cages ban is due to take effect, according to NPA Producer Group chairman Howard Revell.

He told members at yesterday’s meeting that poultry farmers in some member countries were protesting they would not be able to comply with the cages ban in time.

“The cages ban is a year ahead of the stalls ban and they have got exactly the same situation, where some countries are saying they are not in a position to get rid of cages and are seeking a derogation.

“We think that how Brussels deals with the cages ban, could set the tone for how the stalls ban is dealt with.

“We got the impression that there is an appetite at the Commission to enforce the cages ban and probably to try and enforce the stalls ban the following year.

“But it could be a double-edged sword, because it looks like most sows will not be out of stalls by 2013 — so what happens? It will probably take two or three years for something to be done about it.

“For ourselves, it means we will still have a differential, and if a number of sows went out on the continent, the short-term effect would be that prices would go up, which would be great.

“But the medium-term effect would probably be more imports of pork from third countries — countries outside the European Union — which would probably come from stall-based systems.

“And if that happens... what has been achieved? So we need to be aware that other arguments come into force that we may not originally have thought about.”

Speaking more generally about the NPA mission to Brussels, to promote welfare standards on British pig farms, Producer Group chairman Howard Revell said, “We stressed that welfare is not an on-off switch. It is a progressive route we are going down, and we are trying to go down it at the rate at which we see scientific work offering economic solutions.”

He said that whilst in Brussels, the NPA mission had visited the Eurogroup for Animals – an organisation that represents welfare lobbying groups from 25 member countries, including Compassion in World Farming and RSPCA from the United Kingdom.

“They told us that they see the United Kingdom as one of the leading countries for welfare so the further they can hit us with a stick and get us further away from the others, the more it will drag the others up.

"This means we are a bit of a target. They are making an invisible chain where we are dragging the others along.”

Describing the NPA mission’s talks with members of the European Parliament, he related one MEP’s claim that his mailbag contained five times as many letters about animal welfare as any other single issue (albeit about all animal welfare, not just farm animal welfare).

“It just shows how high up the agenda welfare is for politicians. I thought they would be talking about the environment quite a lot, but we didn’t really hear much about that.

“One of the things we learned is that we need to be going to Brussels more often. We need to maintain a regular presence there to get our points across.”

NPA Barney Kay highlighted, to Producer Group members, the effectiveness of Compassion in World Farming lobbying in Brussels, particularly its use of videos of pig farms.

“It is very important that NPA is in Brussels on a regular basis,” he said. “I think the next step should be to bring some of these people over here and let them see practically what we are doing on pig farms and some of the research projects that are taking place.”

He added, “ Compassion in World Farming keep pushing us on farrowing crates. I think we should be urging them to divert their attention to compliance of the 2013 stalls ban.”

Asked how Brussels would enforce the 2013 partial stalls ban — assuming it decided not to grant a derogation — NAP regions manager Zoe Davies said the only tool it had at its disposal was Food and Veterinary Office inspections, which involved sending vets to member countries to monitor compliance of European Union law.

“That’s all they have. Other countries are not like Britain. They don’t have our excellent whole-chain assurance system which focusses producers’ attention on adhering to the law. Other countries have their schemes, but none are as good as ours.”

Europe to open its doors to Brazilian pigmeat

European Union annual agricultural turnover will be hit by up to £10 billion as more food is imported from the Mercosur countries — Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Europe’s pork, beef and poultry producers will be hardest hit.

In a controversial move, Brussels has decided to relaunch negotiations towards a trade agreement with the Mercosur countries.

It has been warned this could have a devastating impact on Europe’s beef, pig and poultry farmers.

But trade commissioner Karel De Gucht argues that exports of European industrial goods — including cars and telecommunications — will outweigh losses in agriculture, and the net gain for the European Union will be around £3.8 billion a year.

European Union farm commissioner Dacian Cioloş has argued unsuccessfully against restarting the talks because of the potential impact on Europe’s beef, poultry and pigmeat sectors.

Commission president José Barroso has acknowledged there will be problems for agriculture but says these can be addressed — although he has given no clue as to how this could be achieved.

Figures from the Brussels agriculture department suggest the deepest impact on pigmeat producers will be in the pig production regions of Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Denmark, Belgium, Portugal, Poland, Hungary, Austria, Cyprus and Holland.

The fact that Britain is omitted suggests the department hasn’t considered the likely destination of continental pork that is replaced by cheaper Brazilian pigmeat.

Europe will re-visit IPPC pig farm thresholds

By Digby Scott

A threat to extend IPPC to include the spreading of slurry from IPPC pig farms on a non-IPPC pig farms, has been diverted.

Members of the European Parliament decided yesterday not to modify IPPC to cover off-site spreading. They also agreed not to bring intensive cattle farms under the scope of IPPC.

But it would be premature for pig and poultry producers to conclude that IPPC will remain as it is and not become even more restrictive of commercial production.

The European Parliament Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy has agreed to keep a clause in a co-decision dossier to “reassess” existing thresholds for pig poultry units.

The review will take place before the end of 2012 and will probably mean that in due course proposals will be introduced (again) to reduce the 750 indoor sow, 2,000 indoor finisher IPPC threshold for pigs.

Feast of Fiddles CD

The new Feast of Fiddles CD Walk before you fly can now be bought on-line.