Pig prices and slaughter data to week ending April 14, 2014.

Merchants' buying prices in £/tonne ex-farm, supplied by the British Hay & Straw Merchants' Association.

Exotic diseases threatening the UK pig sector have been discussed at a special round-table meeting in London attended by nearly 50 industry representatives.

Despite two upcoming "short" weeks, prices have remained firm for all weights, helped by a slight improvement in the DAPP, which rose by 0.23p and now stands at 163.07p compared with 158.83p a year ago.

Members of the European Commission’s working group on pig meat forecast that pig supplies are set to tighten further in 2014.

A record 14 British meat exporters are attending this week's (April 8-11) Food and Hotel Asia (FHA) exhibition in Singapore on the EBLEX-BPEX pavilion as part of the strongest ever UK delegation at this important gateway to Asian markets.

Here we are at the start of warmer, brighter late spring/early summer days, writes John Gadd. It's such a relief to walk outdoor farms (I live in a predominantly outdoor-sow area) after those drab and cold winter call-out hikes round the arks.

Pork producer Stockcroft Pigs has joined sustainable farming organisation LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) as a corporate member.

Producers have until the end of the month to get themselves signed off as competent to carry out euthanasia on pigs.

Thanks to social media, there are now more ways than ever to try and connect with consumers. It has proved to be a valuable way to get positive messages about our industry to a wider audience. At this year’s British Pig & Poultry Fair, organised by the RASE and partnered by ABN, there will be a forum session especially for those wanting to harness the power of both traditional and new media

Jane Jordan reports on a special round table debate, organised by Pig World and sponsored by MSD Animal Health, that brought representatives from the pig industry, feed processors and environmental organisations together with Pig Idea founder and environmental campaigner Tristram Stuart to ask the question: Should the EU ban on swill feeding be lifted?

The Government has appointed Peter Kendall as the new chairman of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).

Cranswick plc has announced that underlying sales increased by 12% in the year ended March 31, 2014.

An Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) proposal to freeze levy rates for the second year running has been approved by UK Ministers.

Merial Animal Health is urging pig farmers to consider vaccination against swine influenza following an announcement by the AHVLA at the end of 2013 that there has been an increase in diagnoses in the UK.

Jane Jordan explores the history of Rattlerow Farms, which celebrates its diamond anniversary this year

Stephen Hall considers the value of data to a pig production business and explains how to calculate total herd FCR, one of the sector’s key measures of efficiency

Suffolk-based auctioneer Peter Crichton will sell the pig equipment from a 350-sow indoor unit at Brentwood, Essex, on Saturday, April 26.

There USDA has reported that there were 62.9 million pigs on US farms on March 1 this year, the lowest number since 2007.

The Netherlands-based Rabobank has published a report estimating the effect of the ongoing outbreak of PEDv on the US pig industry will result in a 9% fall in slaughterings in 2014 compared with 2013, with a 12 million head (11%) shortfall from affected producers, offset by an increase from producers which are not infected.

The Canadian Swine Health Board (CSHB) has advised pig producers not to feed blood plasma products until definite evidence proves there's no link between the product and the spread of PEDv.

BPEX has appointed Andrew Knowles as its new head of technical as part of a restructuring at the organisation.

I hear it all over the world: “We pig producers have been stuck at 12% mortality for years – and it's getting worse, not better!", writes John Gadd.

EU farming unions group Copa-Cogeca has released new EU-28 oilseeds and protein crop estimates for the 2014/15 marketing year that show a positive market outlook and good winter sowings.

BPEX is to expand its range of historical pig price reports to include an all new GB Standard Pig Price (SPP).

The Food Standards Agency has started a six-week consultation on new rules for pig meat inspections that will come into force in June 2014.

Exports of pork from the UK amounted to 15,700t in January 2014, which was 15% more than the same month in 2013.

The Pig World New Product Award, which will be judged at the 2014 British Pig & Poultry Fair, is now open for entries.

The return to positive margins in recent months has rejuvenated producer confidence in investing for the future for the first time in three years, according to the latest BPEX Confidence Survey.