The entries from 13 member states are now being narrowed down, ahead of the announcement of the top examples of best practice at the Pigs 2022 conference, organised by Pig World and AHDB Pork, in June.

The EU PiG project’s first Grand Prix, led by AHDB Pork, aims to identify best practice in four thematic areas – health management, precision production, welfare and meat quality. Each year EU PiG will focus on two specific topics within each area identified as ‘priority challenges’ facing producers.

The project is run by a consortium of 19 organisations across 13 member states representing all aspects of the pig farming industry, including producers, researchers, rural development boards and innovation practitioners.

An expert group for each thematic area will review all of the nominations and select the top five best practices per challenge. All 13 participating EU PiG partners and Regional Pig Innovation Groups (RPIGs) members will review and vote for the winning best practice for each challenge. The participating countries can be viewed on this map.

The winning best practice producers will be appointed as EU PiG Ambassadors. Over the four-year project, up to 32 Ambassadors from across all participating regions will be established as a network of winners.

These Ambassadors and their best practice will be promoted through the EU PiG website, including where appropriate, a virtual farm tour to highlight the best practice.

You can also sign up for the EU PiG newsletter here.

The Pigs 2022 conference will take place over June 6 and 7 in Solihull. The first day will be dedicated to the International Outlook Conference, while day two will be the Innovation Conference, when the EU PiG award winners will be announced.

To find out more about the event, including the speakers and programme, and to register, click here

The Farming Brexit Roundtable, chaired by NFU Deputy President Minette Batters, has been set up to share concerns and to promote collective action before the nation goes to the polls. Meeting for the first time last week, the organisations urged political parties to recognise the importance of agriculture to the economy and the country as a whole. They also concluded that political parties must set out clear policies that work for farm businesses, giving the industry certainty during the Brexit negotiations, but also well beyond the point at which the UK leaves the European Union.

A joint statement said: “Our organisations welcome the commitment to honour EU payments until 2020, but farming is a long-term business. Frankly, the value of the assurance, given in August 2016, diminishes with each passing day. Farm businesses need to know the long-term plans of our political parties over the next decade, not just the next two years. So we urge all parties to make their plans clear in their respective manifestos to give farmers the stability required to instill confidence for the future.

“We also considered the trading relationship in which farming will find itself post-Brexit. It’s clear that there is a pressing need to secure continuing access to the European Union marketplace as a priority. The vast majority of food exports are to the EU, lamb and cereals being good examples. So every sector needs there to be free and frictionless trade with the EU to thrive long-term, or face economic calamity of over-supplied domestic markets. Whatever the final outcome of the General Election, the next Government must secure a phased transition to the new trading agreements.”

The Farming Brexit Roundtable will continue to meet regularly during the course of the Brexit negotiations. The organisations in attendance at the meeting, held in London on 19 April, were:

NFU

NFU Cymru

NFU Scotland

Country Land and Business Association

British Poultry Council

National Beef Association

National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs

National Pig Association

Royal Association British Dairy Farmers

Scottish Land and Estates

Soil Association

Tenant Farmers Association

Senior policy advisor Georgina Crayford will take part in a roundtable discussion hosted by the EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee on Wednesday, April 5, starting at 10am.

The committee launched the short inquiry after witnesses raised concerns during its wider inquiry into Brexit and Agriculture that a new post-Brexit trading regime with countries operating lower standards for animal welfare could undermine the high standards of the UK.

Prime Minister Theresa May and Government ministers have expressed clear intentions to maintain high standards of welfare for farm animals after Brexit.

However, Farming Minister George Eustice has acknowledged that WTO rules currently restrict the extent to which countries can legally insist on equivalence in welfare rules under trade deals.

The NPA has insisted that the UK pork industry must be protected under any new trade deals with the likes of the US, Canada and Brazil. It is calling for equivalence in all standards, including welfare, and if necessary quotas and possibly tariffs to restrict lower standard products.

The full list of participants is:

• Minette Batters, National Farmers Union
• Gudrun Ravetz, British Veterinary Association
• David Clarke, Red Tractor
• Chris Mallon, National Beef Association
• Phil Stocker, National Beef Association
• Dr. Georgina Crayford, National Pig Association
• Richard Griffiths, British Poultry Council
• Dr. Siobhan Mullan, University of Bristol
• Professor Lynn Frewer, Newcastle University
• Professor Richard Bennett, University of Reading
• Peter Stevenson, Compassion in World Farming

The Committee also hopes that representatives for consumers, supermarkets and DEFRA will attend.

The participants will explore varous topics including:

• What are the critical issues that must be addressed in terms of farm animal welfare regulations, compliance and enforcement to deliver these intentions?
• Which monitoring bodies and mechanisms of enforcement need to be expanded or created post-Brexit?
• What action must the Government take to ensure that the UK remains a world leader in farm animal welfare after Brexit?
• To what extent might trade pose a risk or an opportunity for UK farm animal welfare after Brexit? What tools could or should the UK government employ to ensure that any risks are mitigated (e.g. labelling of products, restrictions on imports, trade agreements)?
• Will current levels of inspections be adequate to maintain consumer confidence?

The evidence session is open to the public. You can also watch it live on the internet at www.parliamentlive.tv

Brexit Secretary David Davis unveiled the Government’s plans to end EU control over UK law on Thursday, following the triggering of Article 50 by Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday.

The Great Repeal Bill will repeal the European Communities Act, which enshrines EU law as supreme to the UK’s and remove the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice.

Coming into force the day the UK leaves the EU, it would initially transpose existing EU legislation into domestic UK law, including vast swathes of legislation that directly affects farmers.

Mr Davis said the Bill would allow the UK Parliament and Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland administrations to scrap, amend and improve laws.

Fundamental review

NPA chief executive Zoe Davies said: “It makes sense to initially transpose existing EU law into UK legislation on the day we leave the EU. This will provide continuity and help minimise disruption to EU trade.

“However, we see Brexit as an opportunity for a fundamental review of all the current EU laws that affect farmers. This review, which will need to balance sensible regulation with trading requirements, must begin almost immediately.

“Some of the EU’s environmental regulations in particular, notably the Nitrates Directive, have caused huge frustrations to pig producers, adding burdens entirely disproportionate to the goals they are trying to achieve.

“We will be consulting members to identify specific areas where we feel change is needed and will expect the Government to deliver on Brexit campaign pledges to free producers from the grip of Brussels regulation.”

The NPA will also be seeking clarity on the status of zinc oxide, which is likely to banned at EU level, once we leave the union.

Biggest challenge

The UK’s four main farming unions have also called for a post-Brexit regulatory framework suited to UK farmers.

Following a meeting in Northern Ireland, the NFU, Ulster Farmers’ Union, NFU Cymru, and NFU Scotland issued a joint statement.

NFU President Meurig Raymond said: “Our departure from the EU must be an opportunity, not just to ensure continuity but to deliver a regulatory framework suited to UK farmers, whether through the Great Repeal Bill process or through other legislative and regulatory measures.

“The task of transferring the vast expanse of existing EU law into UK law will be one of the biggest legislative challenges this country has ever faced.

“And farming is probably impacted more than any other sector, with a huge number of pieces of directly applicable EU legislation and national implementing regulations governing the way our farmers carry out their day-to-day businesses. Most importantly it must not jeopardise our future trading relationship with Europe.

“Too often, farmers have been burdened by rules and requirements that stifle their ability to farm for no discernible benefit.”

The NFU survey can be accessed here

The NFU said the survey should take around 10 minutes to complete. All responses will be aggregated and analysed anonymously. The survey will remain open until mid-April.

The NFU is a member of a Food Chain Workforce Strategy group, which consists of a number of trade associations across the food and farming industry. The main purpose of the group is to identify the implications of Brexit for the UK food supply chain’s access to skills and labour.

The union said: “To help build an evidence base on workforce issues and to gain insight of the current make up, future needs and risks to supply of the UK food sectors workforce we are undertaking a short industry wide survey in conjunction with other members of the group.

“The results of the survey will help to understand industry needs across the food supply chain, in relation to future immigration policy and to enable representative bodies in the food chain to inform Government to help shape policy development.”

The NPA undertook an online survey last year, looking at the extent to which the pork supply chain was reliant on EU labour. It found:

• 58% of businesses across the supply chain employed at least one migrant worker
• Nearly 20% employed between 11 and 50
• More than 90% of migrant workers were employed on a full-time basis
• 20% said their businesses would not survive without migrant labour.

NFU has published the first of a series of reports setting out its Vision for the Future of Farming. The paper covers the key issues that will impact on British farming and that it believes must be addressed now the Government has triggered Article 50.

The report highlights three ‘cornerstones’ of what the NFU believes should underpin a domestic farm policy.

• Productivity measures and business resilience
• Volatility mitigation measures and management tools
• Environmental measures.

The vision outlines the approach the union wants the Government and industry to take to support UK agriculture once the UK has left the EU and is no longer governed by the Common Agricultural Policy.

NFU President Meurig Raymond said the focus of the policy will be dependent on the deal the Government achieves with Brexit.

He said: “If the Government secures a free trading arrangement with the EU, ensures UK farmers are not disadvantaged by future trade deals outside the EU, and ensures the industry’s labour needs are met, then we can consider an ambitious new policy – one that is designed specifically for our domestic farming sector, involving a wide range of measures which focus on productive, resilient, sustainable and profitable farm businesses.

“If we get a bad deal for farming, then measures to manage volatility – such as direct payments – will remain vital to help farm businesses compete in an uncertain world.”

“Once we are no longer subject to the CAP, the Government has given assurances that farmers will continue to be supported after 2020. We believe that farming should maintain current levels of public investment through this new policy framework, but recognise that in the future this may be delivered in different ways, directly or indirectly to farmers, for instance through fiscal incentives, environmental schemes or ensuring farmers benefit from cutting edge developments in R&D.

“We now need to shape a policy that promotes competitive, profitable and progressive farm businesses that can continue to produce adequate supplies of British food that the public enjoys and trusts.”

NFU President Meurig Raymond said the importance of agriculture – the bedrock of the nation’s food and drink industry, which is the largest manufacturing sector in the UK, must not be underestimated.

Raymond also stressed that farming will only get the right deal if its coherent voice is heard by decision makers and that industry will work together to ensure that the country continues to enjoy great quality British food.

“Our industry is vital to Britain”, said Raymond. “We have to take this opportunity to tell the country – and the world – of our high standards; of the pride we have in the food we produce and the importance of our industry. Farming and food production plays a crucial role in the life and economy of our country and therefore it is important this government ensures food and farming is at the forefront of their priorities as they negotiate our exit from the EU.

“The report we published at NFU Conference last month showed for the first time farming’s contribution to the country in monetary value – for every £1 invested in farm support, farming delivers £7.40 back to the UK economy. This clearly demonstrates the role farmers play in contributing to the wealth and prosperity of our nation.

“Agriculture is at the heart of this country of ours. It produces the raw ingredients for the largest manufacturing sector here – food and drink. This sector is worth £108 billion, employs nearly four million people and generates around £18 billion worth of export earnings annually.

“But it’s not just our core role in feeding the nation safe, high-quality food. Farming also plays an important role in managing the great British countryside – over 70 per cent of the UK’s land area is farmed, providing habitats for wildlife and iconic landscapes for us all to enjoy. This, too, has economic benefits for people living and working in rural communities as rural tourism is worth at least £2 billion a year.

“The NFU is already engaging heavily with key personnel in UK Government – last week I met with Secretary of State Andrea Leadsom and was pleased that she shared our ambition to maintain free and open trade with the EU once we leave. Defra also acknowledged the need to ensure that future reforms to the immigration system accommodate the labour requirements of the food and farming sectors.

“We will continue to seek meetings with important Whitehall departments such as Defra, the Home Office and the newly created Business, Brexit and International Trade departments.

“But what we need is our collective, coherent voice to be heard. The more NFU members who can get involved and meet their MPs, the greater impact we will have together. We will also continue to liaise with other organisations, both within and beyond the farming sector.

“This is a monumental time in the nation’s history. We are being given a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape the future of UK agriculture. We can now work with government to shape a domestic agricultural policy that promotes competitive, profitable and progressive farm businesses, designed to meet the specific needs of UK farmers.”

In a joint statement to the Secretary of States and Ministers at the Department for Exiting the European Union, the Department for International Trade, Defra and the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, the coalition highlights core objectives and priorities for UK trade policy.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC), the NFU and the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), which represent the whole of the supply chain from farm to fork, will work with the Government to agree common objectives and priorities for the UK’s trade policy environment post-Brexit.

The statement addresses the strategic importance for the UK of the food supply chain and builds consensus around a number of priority areas for trade. The food supply chain not only employs almost four million people and generates over £100 billion of value for the economy each year, but keeps the nation fed: ensuring consumers have access to a wide range of nutritional, quality foods at affordable prices.

This is the joint statement on trade:

The UK’s food supply chain – farmers, food and drink manufacturers and retailers – keeps the nation fed, ensuring consumers have access to a wide range of nutritional, quality foods at affordable prices.  As the process of leaving the EU develops, the food supply chain will work together to ensure that our consumers continue to enjoy great quality, choice and value.

The UK food supply chain employs 3.9m people from farming through manufacturing to retail and food service and generates £108bn in value.

Much of the food supply chain is domestically based, and our organisations are committed to domestic production that is competitive and profitable and fully meets the demands of British consumers.
Nevertheless, we cannot operate in isolation.

Our farmers need imported feed and inputs and they need access to other markets for their products, especially where demand for these in the UK is insufficient.  Our food and drink manufacturers rely on exports to grow their businesses and imports to complement their use of domestically produced ingredients and raw materials.  Our retailers need access to a full range of goods all year round to balance seasonality and meet consumer demand.

The regulatory framework that governs this international trade therefore matters to all of us, both in strengthening and supporting UK producers in domestic and foreign markets, and in affording UK consumers and the agri-food and drink industry the benefits of freer trade with overseas partners.

Currently, that framework is determined by the EU, internally through the Single Market and Customs Union, externally through the EU’s Common Commercial Policy.  The Prime Minister has made clear that these arrangements will change when the UK leaves the EU.

The new framework for the UK’s trading relations will be determined in part through negotiation with the EU, in part through negotiations with other countries and in part by the UK acting alone.  In these distinct areas we call on the government to adopt an approach that will ensure stability and continuity for agri-food and drink businesses by:

* First of all, ensuring a smooth and orderly Brexit by agreeing transitional arrangements that maintain frictionless trade in goods between the UK and the EU, avoiding costly and disruptive customs checks, processes and procedures

* In the medium term, avoiding customs duties on trade by securing an ambitious bilateral free trade agreement with the EU that delivers two-way tariff-free trade

* Establishing the UK as an independent member of WTO, providing continuity and predictability by adopting the EU’s current schedule of Most Favoured Nation bound tariff rates

* Securing the benefits for UK traders of existing EU preferential trade arrangements, including the UK’s fair share of tariff rate quotas for agricultural imports, as well as of any preferential access for UK food and drink exports, at least until government can replace them with acceptable alternative arrangements.

* Engaging in formal trade negotiations with third countries when the terms of the UK’s future trading relations with the EU and other existing preferential trading partners are clear

* Establishing cooperation with third countries on regulatory equivalence and ensuring that all new trade agreements take into consideration differences in regulations and standards when market access is negotiated

* Consulting with stakeholders and undertaking detailed economic impact assessments when trade negotiations are opened and before any offers are exchanged.

But the association’s initial focus will be on persuading the European Commission to permit a ‘sensible’ transition period, after an EU veterinary committee reiterated its recommendation to ban zinc oxide.

Despite extensive lobbying from NPA and others, the EU Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use (CVMP) has upheld its original position that zinc oxide should be banned at therapeutic levels, following a review of the evidence base.

It concluded, by consensus, that ‘the overall the benefit-risk balance for the products concerned by this referral is negative, as the benefits of zinc oxide for the prevention of diarrhoea in pigs do not outweigh the risks for the environment’.

The European Commission will now make the final decision. NPA chief executive Zoe Davies, who said she was ‘disappointed but hardly surprised’ with the verdict, said the association would now work with EU colleagues to ensure the industry is given sufficient time to adapt.

Dr Davies said: “As the Commission rarely go against CVMP advice, we will now need to lobby them hard for a sensible phase out period.

“While the Veterinary Medicines Directorare (VMD) has submitted its response to the Commission consultation and suggested a 10 year phase out period following our request, we will need to work with COPA and others to ensure the message is similar across the EU.

“We understand that several countries are in line with us already. We will also be seeking a meeting with the VMD to discuss the evidence on which this decision was made, look at the implications and explore options, particularly post-Brexit.”