The non-compulsory reporting of PEDv cases in Europe is to be examined by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) with a report on the issue expected within four months, according to the National Pig Association (NPA).

A wet feed outdoor pig tanker was stolen from near Swaffham, Norfolk, on Monday evening, March 2.  Norfolk police want to hear from anyone who is offered this unit.  

The latest pig production figures for EU member states indicate some tightening of supply in the early part of this year, although this could be only a temporary market factor, according to BPEX.

The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) has warned that it is “vital” than any rise in EU pig rises in the coming weeks is fed through to Irish producers.

New BPEX chair, Meryl Ward (pictured), has pledged to make the most of every opportunity for English pig producers and processors when she takes office at the beginning of next month.

The National Pig Association (NPA) has today published its pre-election briefing for MPs and prospective parliamentary candidates, highlighting the “forward-looking” ethos of British pig producers and calling on UK politicians to “champion the sector's high standards”.

BPEX weekly pig prices, slaughter data and commentary for Great Britain.

Merchant's ex-farm buying-in straw prices (£/t) supplied by the British Hay & Straw Merchants Association.

While observing Monitor Farm the key focus has been predominantly on the breeding herd. Now attentions are turned to the finishing herd and how to increase production efficiency and the “pig quality” both supplied to and sold from the enterprise, as Jane Jordan reports

A by-product of Hermitage Genetics’ progeny testing programme has been the production of useful data on the relative finishing performance of boars and gilts

Farm cooperatives have an “essential” role to play in strengthening the position of farmers in the food supply chain says the EU Commissioner for Agriculture, Phil Hogan.

Elanco Animal Health has urged producers to ensure they have a strategic worming programme in place following a “worrying increase in milk spot lesions in pigs slaughtered in England” as revealed in the latest survey data from the BPEX Pig Health Scheme.

Meryl Ward MBE, has been named as the successor to Stewart Houston at the head of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board’s (AHDB) strategy board for pigs, taking up the post on April 1.

EU weaner prices have begun to recover seasonally, boosted by firming finished pig prices, according to BPEX.

There was an interesting and useful report in the January 2015 issue of Pig World where an NPA survey on pig farm biosecurity was optimistic that British producers were seriously getting to grips with it at last. Well that’s good, but the figures cited suggest that farmers have still have much to do.

To maximise output, producers must try and harness more of the genetic potential available in their herds. From a breeding perspective, an evaluation of replacement policies might be timely as decisions made in the past, say to cut costs and minimise health risks, could be holding back productivity. Jane Jordan considers the F1 debate

The majority of British consumers want supermarkets to sell British pork rather than switch to cheaper import-based supplies, according to a new survey released by the National Pig Association (NPA).

How much do celebrity endorsements of food products affect consumer behaviour? That’s the question being addressed by Harper Adams’ final year student, Lisa Pinner, with a view to helping food producers and manufacturers improve their promotional impact.

The EU meat sector is forecast to retain production and export levels despite the Russian ban on pork and beef, according to the latest foreign agricultural service (FAS) report from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) has welcomed the planned EU introduction this week of private storage aid (PSA) for pigmeat, with the added warning that further measures will need to follow quickly if PSA doesn’t put farmers “back in the black”.

The European Commission (EC) has put up a prize of €1 million (£730,000) as a reward for the development of a “need-to-use” test, designed to help stop the overuse of antibiotics.

GB pig production costs were at their lowest for four years in the final quarter of 2014 according BPEX, who put the average cost for the period at just over 142p/kg (£116 per head).

Five new people have been elected to the National Pig Association (NPA) producer group after a vote in which slightly over 50% of producer members took part.

The wide gap between spot and contract prices has narrowed significantly with the news that spot bacon buyers were prepared to pay in the region of 120-122p/kg for one-off spare loads, which compares with prices of anywhere between 6-10p/kg less than this a week ago.

The British pig industry has made huge strides in professionalism but is being “sold short by Brussels” in some areas, National Pig Association (NPA) chairman Richard Longthorp told MEPs in Brussels this morning.

Three new industry members have been elected to the National Pig Association (NPA) new Allied Industry Group, joining seven other existing members.

Copa-Cogeca has welcomed the opening of a pigmeat storage scheme by the European Commission (EC) as a “step in the right direction” but has also voiced its “regret” over what the scheme doesn’t include.

Farmers and vets will soon be able to access up-to-date veterinary medicines information on their smart phones, as the result of a new service being developed by the National Office of Animal Health (NOAH).

Danish Crown and Tican, Denmark’s two cooperative slaughterhouse companies, have agreed to merge, launching a membership and competition authority process to approve the decision.

Auctioneer Peter Crichton has announced the sale on Saturday, March 28, of outdoor equipment from South Lynch Estates, Dorset, who have kept outdoors pigs on the Crichel Estate for a number of years.

An application by Midland Pig Producers to create Foston Pig Unit and Anaerobic Digestion Plant in Derbyshire has been refused by the Environment Agency (EA), after a campaign which lasted four years.

A European Commission move to introduce private storage aid for pigmeat, to ease pressure on the EU pigmeat market, has been voted on today by Member States and will be formally opened next week.

A fresh analysis of how the Russian pig market has changed in response to the country’s two 2014 import bans has been completed by BPEX, drawing mixed conclusions on the long-term prospects for EU suppliers.  

Four key areas to help the UK food and farming industry grow were unveiled today by Environment Secretary, Elizabeth Truss, in her address to the National Farmers Union annual conference in Birmingham.

Just 53% of the UK’s food needs will be produced from home farms in the next 25 years, according to a new report published today by the National Farmers Union (NFU), coinciding with the opening of the union’s annual conference in Birmingham.