Pigs

The National Pig Association has said it is shocked and deeply concerned after a revelation that insufficient import controls have resulted in meat being sold by UK retailers that poses a “serious and immediate” disease threat to the UK pig industry.

Joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) could open up further avenues for UK pork exports heading to Mexico, with Latin America and the trans-Pacific region also on the horizon as possible export destinations.

As part of its sustainability strategy, Cargill Animal Nutrition UK has replaced the soya sources in its pre-starter and starter pig and poultry diets with its Triple S soya, which is sourced from deforestation-free areas in Latin America.

The National Pig Association has welcomed Defra’s commitment to reform contractual practices in the pork supply chain, but says wider issues further up the supply chain, including the actions of retailers, must also be addressed.

An unnamed processor currently under investigation by the FSA’s National Food Crime Unit (NFCA) has allegedly been passing up to tens of thousands of tonnes of imported pork per week as British in what is possibly the biggest food fraud and safety scandal since Horsegate in 2013.

Farming groups have criticised the government over plans to sign trade agreements with Canada and Mexico that will lead to low-welfare imports of beef and pork undercutting British producers.

The value of UK red meat exports has reached record levels in 2022, amounting to a staggering £1.7 billion, partly due to the rising prices of meat throughout last year.

AHDB has produced its latest Agri-market Outlook, which explores the factors likely to affect farm businesses.

A funded yearly vet visit is now available to farmers under the government’s Animal Health and Welfare Pathway.

As part of its ‘Mix up Midweek with Pork’ marketing campaign, the AHDB is once again supporting the long-term demand for pig meat by promoting it as a nutritious, tasty and versatile meal choice.

As part of AHDB’s Delivering the Future of Farming event, representatives of the pork sector council sat down with strategy director Angela Christison to answer questions and expand on the three priorities outlined in the pork sector plan. Henrietta Szathmary attended the online event.

Trials on more than 4,000 pigs on units in Spain and the UK showed that cost-effective improvements in feed efficiency can be achieved where a natural botanic-based feed product is added to diets, according to Cargill UK.