Thursday May 6, 2010

(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.

Watch the gap

With the differential between DAPP and the average European price now running at nearly 30p, British pig producers will be hoping to see a recovery in continental prices. "If the gap doesn't close a bit, I think the current differentail will be hard to sustain," observed Mick Sloyan, of BPEX, at yesterday's meeting of NPA Producer Group.

Pigs are stars of this year's rare breeds watch list

The publication by Rare Breeds Survival Trust of its 2010 Watchlist sees pig breeds taking the lead in improvements.

No fewer than five breeds have shown sufficient increases in number of registered breeding females to be moved down a category.

With no pig breeds in the critical category, the move of the Middle White down to category 3 (vulnerable), leaves the British Lop as the only pig breed identified as endangered.

Tamworths, Welsh and Berkshires have moved from category 3 to category 4 (at risk), while the British Saddleback has moved from category 4 to category 5 (minority).

In announcing these changes, Trust points out there is potential for even greater improvement in the figures if more pedigree litters are birth notified.

"The Trust's Watchlist takes into account only registered breeding sows. From the data collected for the 2010 Pig Bloodline Survey it is evident there are breeders of pedigree animals who are failing to birth notify their litters, which they need to do for pigs to be entered in the Herd Book," said Trustee Viki Mills.

"Pigs from these un-recorded litters are permanently excluded from pedigree breeding and do not, therefore, contribute to the conservation of their particular breed.

"We are, therefore, urging all breeders with pedigree animals to ensure that litters that could be entered in the Herd Book are birth notified."

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.

Supermarkets and processors are too big for comfort

Pressure is continuing to build in Europe for measures to control the food chain dominance of large retailers such as Tesco and Asda.

Antitrust legislation should be implemented more rigorously to prevent market concentration in the food supply chain falling into even fewer hands, warned United Nations representative Olivier De Schutter yesterday.

Producers’ share of food chain returns is continuing to shrink, he told a hearing of the European Parliament agriculture committee.

His view is endorsed by European farmers’ union Copa-Cogeca which claims the use of huge buying power among a handful of processors and supermarkets is leading to unfair practices.

Yesterday’s hearing was seeking input to a report by French Green members of the European Parliament, entitled “Fair revenue for famers: a better functioning food supply chain in Europe”.

The report urges Brussels to introduce mandatory annual reporting by the top 20 traders, processors, wholesalers and retailers on their market share for key food items and on their monthly sales volumes.

Britain’s Professor Roger Clarke, of Cardiff University, suggested a European Union code of conduct for supermarket chains and a European Union ombudsman to enforce it.

But Xavier Durieu, secretary general of Eurocommerce, warned against the extra bureaucracy that would be caused by too much price transparency.

Copa-Cogeca meanwhile has called for the adjustment of European competition rules to enable producer organisations to grow in size and scale.

In the fullness of time, it wants to see the establishment of a European Food Trading Agency.

These issues will continue to be debated by members of the European Parliament and Brussels officials and the expectation is that the end result will be food chain legislation that might facilitate a fairer deal in the food supply chain for consumers and primary producers.

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.

No animal transport shocks in store

A report on animal transport is expected from Brussels later this year.

But health commissioner John Dalli eased fears over added costs for livestock hauliers when he said yesterday that the Commission is most focussed on “pushing the enforcement of existing rules”.

Hinting that animal transport may not be at the top of the department of the Brussels health and consumer department’s agenda, he said animal transport issues must be seen in the context of other policy areas — such as origin labelling.

Wednesday May 5, 2010

NPA tenth anniversary celebration at Pig Fair

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.

Training is for all ages

The British pig industry has spoken loud and clear — there should not be an age cap on the Pfizer Trainee of the Year Award.

The question was posed on this page yesterday, in order to get an industry view. And the response has been both swift and unequivocal.

Of the 24 people who have so far taken part in the poll, all but three say there should be no age cap.

The poll will run for another day (scroll down the page to see it) but, unlike the General Election, the outcome is looking clear.

Here are some of the comments:

• The best person should get it.
  
  
• Experienced judges should be able to weigh up the correct decision.
  
  
• We need to encourage all, but I would always favour a younger winner if all else is equal!
  
  
• Training is an on-going activity. You can learn skills throughout your life, and of course new entrants can join the industry later in life, so unless it changes its name to Young Trainee of the Year, I think it should be open to all. An alternative idea would be to have a couple of categories — Young Trainee of the Year, New Entrant Trainee of the Year, Mature Trainee of the Year... etc.
  
  
• Training must be presented as a lifetime requirement.
  
  
• Are you allowed to discriminate by age anyway?
  
  
• Gaining skills and personal development is an ongoing process that doesn’t stop just because you are 30 or 40. I learn something new all the time.
  
  
• ‘Trainee’ doesn’t imply ‘young’. The award should go to someone who has benefitted most from recent training to comply with the ‘year’ part of the award.
  
  
• No-one is ever to old to learn.
  
  
• Many a good tune played on an old fiddle.

Many thanks to everyone who took part in the poll. The organisers of the Pfizer Trainee of the Year Award will now study the results.

Tuesday May 4, 2010

More gloom for Danish pig industry

At best production of finishers in Denmark will stay static over the next few years - but more likely it will decline, according to a forecast by the Association of Danish Pig Producers.

Meanwhile weaner exports to other countries will continue to expand, from around 9m a year currently, to 13.5m in 2015.

These findings - which spell further cutbacks at Danish Crown’s uncompetitive slaughterhouses - are based on a survey of 400 members of the Association of Danish Pig Producers.

The association is critical of the way Danish Crown is managed.

Belgian pig farms in trouble

The number of pigs in Belgium has plummeted over ten percent in a year. The decline is particularly pronounced in the pig-dense Flanders.

Cheap Brazilian pigmeat threat

Pigmeat imports from Brazil could soar, warned European Union farm leaders today.

They urged European Union commissioners not to re-open trade liberalisation talks with Mercosur, the Latin American trading bloc.

This would lead to a substantial contraction in European Union agriculture, threatening 28m jobs, warned Copa president Padraig Walsheand.

He said as well as pigmeat, imports of beef, poultry and wheat would increase.

The talks with Mercosur have been stalled since 2004. Reopening them would lead to a flood of imports of food not produced to European Union standards, says Copa.

Same threat, different countries

British pig producers’ biggest competitors, the Dutch and the Danes, will be less of a threat in years to come. But the new axis of pigmeat power - Germany and Poland, and perhaps France - may be even more dangerous as it will have a lower cost base. Pig production in Holland and Denmark will migrate to these countries, believes Dirk Jan Kennes, of Rabobank.

Not so sweet

East Anglia's fishermen tend not to mince their words.

Young or not-so-young?

A 30-SECOND POLL

Organisers of the pig industry's national training award seek your advice. The question you are asked to consider is this:

Should the Pfizer Trainee of the Year Award have an age cap?

In other words, should it be targeted only at young people in the early stages of their pig industry careers? Or should it be open to all, regardless of age?

It's not an earth-shattering issue as these things go - but it is the industry's own award, and sponsor Pfizer would like to get it right.

The rationale for considering a change is that ever since the former Agskills award went national, there have been a number of mature entrants every year.

This is, of course, a welcome development, because the process of acquiring new skills is relevant to all ages.

But it has presented difficulties for the judges, who find themselves having to choose between, say, a bright-eyed 18 year old just starting out in his or her career, and a much more experienced middle-aged applicant.

The immediate response of most people might be, Yes, let's have an age cap.

But would this be fair to someone who joined the industry later in life and has shown outstanding aptitude for learning new skills?

Or to somebody who has been in the pig industry for some years and who demonstrates the advantages of continuous professional development?

Whether you are a producer, a pig unit professional, or a member of the allied trades, the organisers of the Pfizer Trainee of the Year Award would like your thoughts.

Please take part in this very quick poll...

Feast of Fiddles CD

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

Monday May 3, 2010

Finalists named in ABN Innovation Award

Three finalists have been named in the ABN Innovation Award.

The award provides an opportunity for young people from both outside and within the industry to put forward innovative concepts for marketing British pig or poultry food products.

The winner, who receives £1000 in prize money, will be announced on the second day of British Pig and Poultry Fair next week.

The three finalists are:

• Kerri Worrall, 32, from Pulham St Mary, Norfolk. Kerri is a freelance PR consultant, graphic designer and copywriter and has a strong interest in local community activities.
  
  
• Tom Martindale, 22, is studying agriculture and marketing at Harper Adam's University College. Tom plans to return to the family business in Hampshire where the 90-sow free-range herd is combined with a pork processing business. Nearly all progeny from the outdoor breeding, rearing and finishing site are processed by the business for direct sales. Tom hopes to develop this business further.
  
  
• Alastair Butler, 29, from Halesworth in Suffolk. After studying marketing and supply chain management Alastair spent six years working in sales in the food industry. He is now a partner in the family business running a 2,000 sow outdoor free range unit.

"We are delighted with the response to this new award," said event director Alice Bell. "We have received some very interesting concepts and look forward to seeing their presentations on the second day of the Fair"

The judging panel includes Michael Barker from the Grocer magazine, Debbie and Andrew Keeble from Debbie and Andrews and Noble Foods chief executive Peter Thornton.

Visitors to Pig and Poultry Fair can listen to the finalists present their ideas and find out who scoops the £1000 prize in the main theatre at 12 noon on Wednesday May 12.

Saturday May 1, 2010

He was resolute — no stalls ban derogation

Zoe Davies reports from Brussels

Every time I go to Brussels, I am struck by the sheer power of the place. This is where it all happens. People from countries all over the European Union meeting and working here, making decisions that will affect our daily lives.

Commission buildings are quite everywhere, some spectacular, dominating the skyline, and many slotted in and around the original city buildings and places such as the Grand Platz where the opulent merchants’ buildings still surround the town hall.

This has always been a city where goods are traded and deals are brokered. But our reason for being here was not for sight-seeing, we had important messages to deliver to as many influential people as we possibly in a short time.

The hard-working staff at NFU’s Bureau d’Agriculture Britannique had done wonders securing as many meetings as possible and organising a breakfast meeting hosted by East Anglian MEP Vicky Ford.

Above: NPA's British breakfast attended by European Commission officials and East Anglia MEPs — arranged by NFU with food supplied by Dalehead.

They had also managed the nigh on impossible task of getting food from East Anglia through the Commission food police — although cute piggy pictures worked wonders!

The first full day began with a meeting with Graeme Taylor who is the United Kingdom permanent representative, on secondment from Defra.

Although he is soon to be moving on following a four year stint, it was useful to make contact with him and pass on our messages — at least we now know who the next incumbent will be and can arrange another visit.

Next we moved on to Directorate General Sanco (the European Union department for health and consumer affairs) to meet Andrea Gavinelli, an Italian vet who heads up the animal welfare unit.

Above: This way next. No this way. Barney Kay (left) and Howard Revell (right).

He was aware of many of the issues we wanted to discuss, but he was not so clear, until we briefed him, on the research we have been doing in the United Kingdom.

We pressed him hard on the expected request from other member countries for a derogation from the 2013 stalls ban and found him resolute that no derogation should be granted.

Nevertheless, we will watch to see how the enriched poultry cages ban in 2012 plays out as a test case.

We also stressed the importance of ensuring existing legislation is properly implemented and policed in all member countries, with any law-breakers being penalised.

An important comment Gavinelli made — and he was not the only person we spoke to who said it — was that existing legislation should be implemented before new welfare legislation was brought in by Europe. This was music to our ears.

Next was a visit to Eurogroup for Animals – an organisation that represents welfare lobbying groups from 25 of 27 member countries, including Compassion in World Farming and RSPCA from the United Kingdom.

Michel Courat, another vet, and farm animals policy officer for the group, told us that whilst the United Kingdom might think it is the only country in the European Union, there are many other countries that have standards far below our own that need to be addressed.

Whilst this was obvious to all of us, it was interesting to hear him say it and to hear him agree that existing legislation should be implemented first.

He said they had been trying to persuade Europe to bring in a new welfare directive, but had decided instead to send a document to all chief veterinary officers, listing deficiencies in implementation of existing welfare law. He agreed to give us a copy to comment on.

He seemed knowledgeable, pragmatic and sensible. But although it was a positive start, I remain cautious.

Welfare is a serious issue in Brussels with many people telling us that welfare issues dominated the correspondence they received from the public.

A short meeting with Miguel Garcia-Navarro, head of animal products, and Francois Prevost, market officer for the pigmeat sector — both in the Brussels agriculture department — was enough to show us how many of the officials there still work in silos with a ‘not my job’ mentality.

Above: It's a Barney Kay and Zoe Davies thing. When visiting other countries, they insist on being pictured reading Pig World. Howard Revell is checking for any slighting reference to Tulip. Stewart Houston is just looking at the pictures of girls.

This has frustrated many a lobbyist. Happily these meetings were followed by a good networking dinner with some of our Dutch colleagues.

Our British breakfast the next morning couldn’t have gone better — although some of the invitees came, filled their bellies with good English grub, and promptly left.

Our chairman Stewart Houston gave an address to key MEPs and commission officials about the potential consequences of pushing the welfare agenda ahead of available scientific evidence.

Tail-docking, teeth-clipping, farrowing crates and manipulable materials were all covered. He cited examples of Britain’s proactive approach to welfare.

But he stressed we are determined not to go it alone any more, unless a clear market advantage can be achieved.

The rest of the day was filled with meetings with MEPs and their researchers, to ensure our key messages are spread and that our important issues are raised at the European Commission.

We had some good offers for involvement in future meetings, conferences and consultations. So there will be plenty more work to be done now we are back home.

It looks as if we could be much more frequent visitors to Brussels in future. I for one can’t wait.

Chris Brant Award judging

By Digby Scott

The Chris Brant Award was judged yesterday and in all the years the award has been running the judges have never had such a difficult task.

Past nominations have reflected the industry's appreciation of the contribution made by in-your-face campaigners.

But this year there was a greater breadth to the 20 nominations — perhaps reflecting that for the first time in over a decade the industry is enjoying a sustained period of profitability.

Some of the industry's grafters may think their efforts go unnoticed, but the nominations received show this clearly isn't the case.

The judges found themselves in the difficult position of having to decide the relative virtues of many years of exceptional service versus those who are going the extra mile right now to help the industry, in many and varied ways.

Contributions to productivity and marketing appeared in the nominations list for the first time, as did contributions to political representation.

The judges — chaired by award sponsor Richard Longthorp — were well into their main course at The George at Stamford, before putting together their short list of three.

Richard Lonthorp repeatedly reminded his fellow judges that the Chris Brant Award is not about people who are just doing their paid job very well; it's about people who are clearly going 'the extra mile' for the industry.

The dining room was emptying by the time they had made their decision.

When the winner is announced at British Pig and Poultry Fair the week after next, I think you will agree they have made an excellent choice.

Below: Judging the Chris Brant Award is, of course, a serious businesses. But it didn't preclude a little light-heartedness in the gardens of The George as the England All-Stars Front Row (Retd.) relived past glories.

Below: Richard Longthorp's fellow judges were Hugh Crabtree (last year's winner) and John Cusson (winner of the PIPS Enterprise Award, a forerunner of the Chris Brant Award). Now just humour me by posing for a proper picture guys...

Perfect balance

With pig numbers in almost perfect balance, spot sellers were able to command prices in the 143p region and this sector is still lagging behind most equivalent contract prices, which after premiums are working out between 145p–149p. Traffic Lights commentary.

Quote of the week

John Cusson (provider of feeds to discerning pig and poultry producers) in local pub quiz...

Q: What is the most common duck in Britain?

JC: Cherry Valley.

Thursday April 29, 2010

Danish genetics at Pig Fair

East Anglia-based Bacton Pigs, which imports Danish genetics, says it will be seeking multipliers at next month’s British Pig and Poultry Fair.

Trading as DanBred International UK, it operates a specific pathogen-free high health multiplication unit and a specific pathogen-free high health stud.

”People who have a serious interest in becoming multipliers for DanBred International UK are welcome to contact us on stand 142 for more information,” said sales manager Simon Guise.

A vet will be on the stand to talk about importation, also one of the Danish pig breeders who has supplied pigs to the British company.

Wednesday April 28, 2010

Welfare unilateralism is rife on the continent

By Digby Scott

When it comes to pig welfare, the Danes are ahead of the Brits in some ways.

Britain proved itself to be Europe’s biggest single-issue unilateralist when it banned stalls in 1999, triggering long-term decline in the national pig industry.

But Denmark has since become one of the European countries most addicted to chronic unilateral welfare legislation.

Whilst the United Kingdom government no longer gold-plates European welfare law — having learned its lesson from the stalls ban — Danish politicians love to tinker.

In Denmark, minimum unobstructed floor space for a gilt is greater than demanded by European Union legislation.

And the European minimum requirement for continuous solid floor space is also greater for most pigs in Denmark, albeit with a transition period for existing buildings.

In Denmark pen sides for loose-housed sows and gilts must be at least 3m, compared to the European minimum of 2.8m.

Also the Danes go further than minimum requirements for manipulable material by insisting that some rooting material is put on the floor.

Teeth-clipping is forbidden. Only grinding is allowed, and it must be carried out in the first four days.

Tail-docking is allowed, but no more than half the tail may be removed, and it must be done between days two and seven.

Denmark also demands a misting system for pregnant sows and gilts in loose-housed systems, for pigs heavier than 20kg.

When it comes to gold-plating European pig welfare legislation, no country can hold a candle to Sweden.

But several countries, in addition to Denmark, now impose greater restrictions on pig-keepers.

Both Germany and Holland demand a greater minimum unobstructed floor space for weaners and finishers.

And Austria, Germany and Holland impose a greater minimum unobstructed floor space for gilts.

In Holland, as in Denmark, the requirement for continuous solid floor space is greater for most pigs than the European minimum.

In Germany, finishers must have at least 50 percent continuous solid floor.

Dutch law requires a smaller slat gap — 10mm instead of 11mm — and Austrian law also demands a 1mm smaller gap, for piglets and weaners.

When it comes to when stalls can and cannot be used, Holland says sows and gilts must be kept in groups from four days after service until one week before farrowing, instead of the four weeks after service allowed by European law.

United Kingdom law stipulates that a pig must be free to turn round without difficulty at all times.

But it accommodates farrowing crates with the proviso, “This shall not apply in relation to a female pig for the period between seven days before the predicted day of her farrowing and the day on which the weaning of her piglets (including any piglets fostered by her) is complete.”

Austria, Belgium, Germany and Sweden all have stricter requirements for lighting levels than the European Union minimum.

"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.

World Cup recipes

"Score with Pork" is the name of a BPEX’s retail promotion this summer which aims to maximise sales during the World Cup.

The campaign will be targeted at pubs and catering establishments screening World Cup matches.

Free point-of-sale kits are available, containing a wall planner, poster and recipe — Greek-style pork skewers in pitta; Madras pork kebabs in naan; Ham, egg and ‘chips’ in a bun; Potato skins with chilli pork and cheese; Thai-style pork burgers; Pork, plum and sage rolls.

Each recipe comes with pre-match preparation advice to speed up service and promotes the importance of sourcing quality assured pork.

The recipe leaflet can be downloaded from www.porkforcaterers.com, along with point-of-sale kit order form.

Tuesday April 27, 2010

Temporary stay in pig feed case

A businessman being sued over the Irish pig feed dioxin contamination scandal in 2008 is appealing against the Irish High Court’s refusal to halt the case against him and his company.

Mr Justice Peter Kelly has granted Gerard Tierney a temporary stay on the High Court’s refusal to dismiss the case brought by Millstream Recycling Ltd, Clonmahon, Bunclody, Co Wexford, against Mr Tierney and his company, Newtown Lodge, Fairview, Dublin.

Last March, Mr Tierney (75) lost his High Court bid to stop the case in which it is claimed he and Newtown Lodge supplied defective oil which contaminated pig feed with dioxins and led to the recall of all Irish pork products in 2008 at a cost of more than £156m.

Mr Tierney and Newtown had claimed Millstream had no prospect of success in its action against them. It was denied the oil supplied to Millstream was defective. If the oil was contaminated, Mr Tierney/Newtown claimed that was not their fault as, they alleged, it had been supplied to them by another company, O’Neill Fuels Ltd, Annaghmore Hill, Coalisland, Co Tyrone. — Irish Times.

Monday April 26, 2010

European price forecasts

An average pig price this year of 122p a kilo is predicted by the Brussels pigmeat working group.

The forecast, which is made up of individual forecasts by industry representatives of the European Union’s 27 member countries, sees an average price of 121.60p this quarter.

It predicts 131.78p in July-September, and 118.76p in the final quarter of the year.

If the forecasts prove accurate, it means DAPP will peak at 150-155p this year.

European stalls ban could be delayed

Pressure is building on the continent for a delay in implementing the 2013 partial stalls ban, because so many pig-producers cannot find the money to convert to loose-housing.

A recent vote in a committee meeting at farmers union Copa-Cogeca found 16 in favour of pressing Brussels for a derogation, and only one — Denmark — in favour of the partial ban going ahead as planned in January 2013.

But just because so many countries want a derogation, it doesn’t mean it is going to happen, says NPA chairman Stewart Houston, who was unable to attend the Copa Cogeca meeting.

At a meeting of the Brussels advisory group on pigmeat, he heard from the Brussels department of health and consumer affairs that a derogation is unlikely to be agreed, because it would undermine the credibility of the European Commission.

If continental pig producers were set on keeping sow stalls they would have to campaign, through the council of ministers, for a change in the law, and that would take two to three years, suggested the department of health and consumer affairs.

But despite this reassurance, Stewart Houston remains concerned that Brussels might yet cave in to demands for a derogation.

If they did, it would leave British pig producers, who have invested heavily in loose-housing, at a continuing disadvantage.

Like the Danes, the Dutch and the Swedes he is adamant the European partial ban should go ahead in January 2013, as planned.

NPA takes its welfare interventions message to Brussels

Euro-politicians will be served a breakfast of British bacon, eggs and sausages at the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday.

It's an NPA and NFU initiative to highlight high animal welfare standards achieved by British pig farmers.

NPA will be represented by Stewart Houston, Barney Kay, Zoe Davies and Howard Revell. Dalehead will provide the meat.

"We will be in Brussels to guide European Union policy-makers in making the right regulatory choices, keeping in mind the need for economic stability in the industry," said NPA chairman Stewart Houston.

NPA is concerned that instead of relying on science, Brussels may be unduly influenced by organisations such as Compassion in World Farming when it comes to welfare interventions, such as tail-docking and manipulable materials.

Why the Red Tractor must always be in front

By Digby Scott

The British flag on meat means much more to shoppers than "this product is British". That’s why it is important the Red Tractor Pork, Bacon and Ham logos always appear on the front of packs.

A quick glance at the British flag is enough to assure most shoppers that food miles and farming standards are okay, according to a survey by the Food Standards Agency.

It may even suggest to some that the product is organic (and from this they infer higher animal welfare).

This confirms what pig producers have always known — that when manufacturers and retailers pass off imported pigmeat as British by using the Union flag, they are gaining a significant commercial advantage at the expense of British pig-keepers.

The survey shows country of origin information is not generally a priority for shoppers in supermarkets but is more important where meat is concerned, because shoppers feel more comfortable with locally sourced meat.

Animal welfare is important to some people but it is rarely a factor in choice (however much we may wish it otherwise) as shoppers feel they don’t have enough information to make an informed choice.

And food miles are not important to shoppers yet either. They may claim they are concerned about food miles, but their behaviour when shopping suggests otherwise, according to the survey.

A problem for the British pig industry is the halo effect associated with well-known brands.

Thus the well-known Walls logo signifies quality and safety — distracting from the other information, such as country of origin.

Another reason why, as an industry, we should strive always to get the Red Tractor Pork, Bacon and Ham logos on the front of packs, rather than the reverse, is that shoppers avoid reading the back of food packs.

They prefer to use words or symbols on the front as beacons to quickly guide their shopping.

Consumers are concerned about safety — but their concerns are easily satisfied. Supermarket brands quickly reassure them the product is safe.

This is why the pig industry’s meat and bonemeal campaign (in the days when feeding meat and bonemeal was legal on the continent but was no longer practiced here) never really made much headway.

Most German pigs now assured

Ninety percent of German pork is now covered by the German quality assurance scheme QS (Qualitätssicherung), which was founded nine years ago.

Resistant bacteria threat

It isn’t just farmers and farm workers who may be infected by antibiotic resistant bacteria from pigs, according to the senior physician at the department of clinical microbiology at Odense University in Denmark.

People who are not in direct contact with animals are also known to pick up resistant staphylococci MRSA, accoprding to Professor Hans Jorn Kolmos.

Since 2001, consumption of antibiotics in Danish pig production has increased around 20 percent, according to a the monitoring programme Danmap. Most of the increase can be attributed to PMWS.

In Denmark, consumption of antibiotics is slightly higher than in the other Scandinavian countries but it is far lower than in Holland, Spain, and the States.

World Cup will help prices

The world cup and the barbecue season combined should see a lift in pigmeat consumption —especially sausages —on the continent, according to German processor Tönnies.

It expects to see a ten percent lift, which will bring the German price per kilo to 125p. Tönnies boss Clemens Tönnies has a reputation for accurately predicting price trends.