PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

• Indoor Producer of the Year
• Outdoor Producer of the Year

These categories require a written entry to include evidence of: Records for production and cost of production (farrowing rate, numbers born, weaned and sold per sow, pre-weaning mortality, replacement rate percentage, DLWG, FCR, days to slaughter), herd health planning and biosecurity, contributions to the industry outside your own business, new investments and initiatives in buildings/equipment or generally, staff motivation and training, appearance of unit and initiatives such as marketing activity and farm shops.

Entry deadline FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2017 Entries can be submitted online at www.nationalpigawards.co.uk or by contacting Charlotte at charlotte@lewisbusinessmedia.co.uk For more information, visit www.nationalpigawards.co.uk or call Pig World on 01883 777026

CONTRACT FINISHER OF THE YEAR
This is based on key performance data, while judges will also consider the proportion of pigs sent that are within the weight range (the box) and grading information. Other general welfare and business information will be taken into account.

TECHNICAL INNOVATION OF THE YEAR
To win this award, a farm or farm business must demonstrate any initiative, new idea or business development concept that has come to fruition in the past 12 months.

INVESTOR IN TRAINING AWARD
Advances in modern technology mean attending courses and on-farm training are essential. The winner will be able to demonstrate how he/she has invested in staff training.

PRODUCER RETAILER OF THE YEAR
This award encourages and rewards marketing efforts employed by producers to increase sales and establish brands, such as brand development, selling through multiple retailers and farm shops.

PEDIGREE BREEDER OF THE YEAR
Open to all breeders of pedigree pigs, the category is judged by sector-specific experts against criteria including the number of pigs sold to other breeders, performance at county shows and processes in place to prevent inbreeding.

HERD PRODUCTIVITY AWARD
This is a data-based award given to an organisation that can demonstrate continued excellence or significant improvement in pigs per sow per year.

TRAINEE OF THE YEAR AWARD
This award is open to all British pig unit personnel who can show how training is benefiting their career and livestock performance, supported by performance data where possible. Nominations are welcome from both experienced individuals and industry newcomers.

YOUNG PIG FARMER OF THE YEAR
Entrants must be aged 40 or younger on November 6, 2017. Your written entry must include details of the following: involvement in the business, demonstration of new initiatives and examples of commitment to the industry.

STOCKMAN OF THE YEAR
Entries for this category can be nominated by the employing farmer or by the employee, provided it is supported by a reference from the employer. Judges will be looking for evidence of commitment to the job, any innovation or similar that the stockman has been responsible for, evidence of ‘going the extra mile’ and what this achieved and a reference from the employer supporting the individual stating why he/she is an appropriate winner.

UNIT MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Entries for this category can be nominated by the owner or by the employee. If the latter, a reference from the owner will be required. Judges will be looking for evidence of how the manager has driven the business forward as well as excellence in motivating staff, hitting targets and commitment to record-keeping.

The award, named in honour of larger-than-life pig farmer and campaigner Chris Brant, was deservedly won last year by National Pig Association (NPA) chairman Richard Lister, with a Special award going to the NPA staff (pictured above).

The 2017 award will once again be presented at the prestigious National Pig Awards ceremony in London in November.

Richard Longthorp, who chairs the judging panel and is a previous winner himself, said this award was dedicated to those who put their industry first.

“Chris Brant, who died in July 2009, was hard-working, blunt, loud, passionate and a bloody good pig farmer. He was a massive force for good in our industry, never more so than as one of  the organisers of the British Pig Industry Support Group ‘night riders’, which in 1999-2001 blockaded retail distribution centres and kept a pig for three months  in Parliament Square to highlight unfair treatment being dished out to pig farmers.

“This award in his name is not about doing your paid job well or even very well. It is about recognising those who consistently go that extra mile, without personal reward, when their industry needs it most.”

• To nominate an individual or an organisation you think has stepped up to the mark, click here, stating your nomination, your reasons for nominating and your name and email address. The closing date for nominations is July 31, 2017.

Mr Longthorp said: “In the past the judges have had an incredibly difficult time picking just one, or in last year’s case, two, names from so many inspirational entries. So, if your nomination was unsuccessful in the past, please try again. These exceptional people deserve the recognition of their peers.”

Mr Lister added: “Winning last year’s Chris Brant award was a huge honour for me and the NPA team – it meant so much to get that recognition from your peers. So please, rack your brains and get your nomination in!”

Previous winners

Gareth, the 2016 National Pig Awards Unit Manager of the Year, is modest, but his aspiration to build a herd capable of achieving its genetic potential has turned this Lincolnshire business around.

The unit staff and his employer, Graham Porter, have been inspired by his passion.
Porters, a family-owned farming company, employs 55 staff, cultivates 3,000 arable acres, mills 5,000 tonnes of feed a week and produces around 8 million broilers and more than 17,000 pigs a year. Pig farming has been part of this operation since 1968.

The closed herd produces lean, high-conformation slaughter progeny and sells 300 pigs a week at 90 kgs (lwt) to Woodheads, with a further 100, at 60 to 120 kgs, through a local wholesaler. Current performance shows an average daily gain (ADG) of 900 to 1,000 grams for growing and finishing pigs, with a feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 2.3. And with sow productivity booming, more finishers are now being sold to independent butchers, specialist retail outlets and for hog roasts.
“There is a strong market for this kind of pig production with good opportunities for efficient herds,” said Gareth.

Pigs are on straw throughout their lives. It’s labour intensive, but the staff don’t baulk at mucking out. “It’s a time when you can observe your pigs as individuals,” said Craig Brown, farrowing house assistant manager.

Farrowing house assistant manager Craig Brown

Although the business is founded on good health and proven genetics, the herd’s outstanding results are due to good stockmanship, Gareth said.
Welfare-oriented systems, such as this one, rely on a high level of technical aptitude. Gareth believes the lack of skilled, motivated staff in the UK pig sector will limit market share.

“If this industry can’t find capable, skilled technicians and reward them so they stay, then it won’t be able to build on its current success with high welfare pork,” he added.

Productive principles
Gareth’s principal aim has been to drive sow productivity. Conception rates have improved significantly since he joined the team in 2012.
The herd average was 74.1 per cent – it’s now 93 per cent. Gilt conception was 65.3 per cent and is currently 95.5 per cent, while empty days are now down to 9.9 days per sow. Proactive culling, good oestrus detection and improvements to semen quality have been instrumental in driving better results.

“We collect our own AI and I’ve invested in our lab and semen preparation. I took advice from Bob Gornall of Rotech/Schippers and Paul Ibbotson of Flawborough Pig Services, and focused on improving hygiene and temperature control. We’ve standardised semen processing to reduce contamination risks, and installing a water filtration unit has improved water quality, and helped boost numbers born,” said Gareth.

Sows have an average of 14 live births per farrowing

Litter size has responded positively, too. Sows are now weaning 29.31 pigs on a 12-month average and achieved 30.8 during the summer. Unfortunately, pre-weaning mortality has increased from 10 per cent to 11.9 per cent. A re-assessment of farrowing management has included a move to chopped straw, which is easier for piglets to walk over. Craig is also providing additional creep lamps behind sows as they farrow and is considering heated mats.

Stringent selection
With sow productivity now on track, the herd’s 50 per cent replacement rate and its population of GGPs and GPs are under review.
“Having a large gilt pool has allowed me to get the quality standard I want in my GPs and F1s. We’ve advanced genetically and our replacements are now exceptional, but we’re still keeping proven females up to parity 8, which needs attention.

“Reducing the proportion of damline-derived progeny in the finishing herd would also offer opportunities to improve efficiency,” Craig added
The Rattlerow genetics produce plenty of easy-to-manage progeny, with born alive numbers up by three pigs per litter during the past two years. Sows now have an average 14 live births/farrowing, while gilts yield 13.2.

All lactating females are fed an energy-rich ration individually, to promote milk production and control weight loss. The dry sow diet has a lower digestible energy (DE) level, and is balanced to support body condition and promote foetal development.

Only cereal-based ingredients that meet defined quality standards are used, and manufacturing mirrors the purity of a home mill and mixing process, helping ensure diets are of a consistently good quality.

Herd health. Profiles and surveillance – key constituents for effective disease management
A number of well-established vaccination programmes are used on the unit, although rising productivity has created pressure points, and PRRS, EP and APP control strategies have been reviewed in the last two years.

Gemma Thwaites, of the Garth Pig Practice, has worked with Gareth and his team to establish a clinical herd profile. She implemented whole-herd clinical investigations to find out what pathogens were circulating and when.

Gemma Thwaites

Rigorous blood sampling, using ELISA and PCR tests provided by MSD Animal Health’s Vetcheck and Respicheck services, confirmed that PRRS was circulating throughout the herd. It was particularly active from two to three weeks post-weaning and was interacting with other disease issues to weaken pigs’ immunity.
“We were confident no new diseases had arrived here. It was more that the situation had evolved and the control strategies in place were just not providing enough protection,” Gemma said.

Once the maternal PRRS sow vaccination waned, pigs became vulnerable, and consequently more susceptible, to other disease challenges. Gareth felt the rearing herd was being held back and abattoir reports also indicated some APP challenge.

So, a PRRS piglet vaccination programme, using MSD Animal Health’s Porcilis PRRS vaccine, was introduced at two to three weeks of age. To minimise stress, Gareth also chose to use the needle-free IDAL intradermal (ID) vaccination system.

“We’ve successfully cut out one intervention at weaning by using the combined Porcilis PCV MHyo vaccine for EP and PCV2, so we didn’t want to add another jab at weaning. But previous experience with PRRS vaccination at two weeks of age had shown me it could be tough on young piglets. You really want to minimise stress when you’re dealing with this virus, so a needle-free approach seemed sensible,” he said.

Vet Gemma agreed that needleless vaccination has key advantages, as the virulent PRRS virus can be easily transferred though tissue and body fluids.
“Even when needles are changed between litters, the risk of spreading this disease can still exist. Injecting one viraemic piglet, then subsequently injecting its litter mates, can readily transfer infection. These carrier pigs can then go on to become reservoirs of infection, capable of mounting a perpetual challenge to your herd. Intradermal vaccination is non-invasive and eliminates such risks,” she added.

Simplicity and stability
The IDAL system is also stockman and pig-friendly, said Craig, as it offers considerable time savings, when compared with conventional injecting methods. It’s easy to use, less stressful for the piglets and safer than using hypodermics. The gun also logs the number of doses administered – valid data that is simply transferred to the medicine book.

Achieving a stable status is the key to controlling PRRS, and once it’s under control, other health issues often improve.
By building a clinical profile, the business has identified the disease complexes in its herd, what influences activity and when pigs are most vulnerable to infection.

This has helped Gareth break the infection cycle and build herd immunity through strategic vaccination programmes.
Regular blood tests and serology confirm that PRRS is now under control. There are fewer sick pigs, the number of medications and interventions has fallen, production has become more uniform and no pleurisy (APP) has been reported in abattoir data for months.

Going forward, disease surveillance will continue with blood samples taken every three months, then every six to nine months, providing there are no disease indications or outbreaks. Long-term, the aim is to carry out a whole-herd clinical evaluation every year, supported by frequent, random saliva samples.

Both winners enjoyed their trophy presentation, however, as our photographs show.

Bedfordia Farms’ Christian Andersen, displays his 2016 Producer of the Year award after last night’s presentation, with TV sports presenter, Hazel Irvine, holding the 2016 Indoor Producer of the Year award which was also won by the Bedfordshire-based enterprise.

Richard Carless received the 2016 Outdoor Producer of the Year award for his Suffolk-based Pear Tree Farm. TV sports presenter, Hazel Irvine, joins in the celebration

First named as 2016 Indoor Producer of the Year and then unveiled as the UK pig industry’s overall 2016 Producer of the Year, Bedfordia Farms’ Christian Andersen, was widely acclaimed by an enthusiastic gathering of fellow producers and industry leaders at the London Lancaster Hotel.

Suffolk-based Pear Tree Farm, where Richard Carless runs a 430-sow outdoor unit, claimed the 2016 Outdoor Producer of the Year award.

Other award winners were:

• Contract Finisher of the Year – Richard Clifton, Bradeley Farm, Market Drayton.
• Technical Innovation of the Year – Adrian Lawson, Rattlerow Farms.
• Investor in Training Award – Rattlerow Farms, Suffolk.
• Producer Retailer of the Year – Sally Lugg, Primrose Herd, Cornwall.
• Pedigree Breeder of the Year – Huw & Ela Roberts, Oinc Farm, Gwynedd.
• Herd Productivity Award – Outdoor – Nigel and Gill Spalding, Elite Pigs, Norfolk.
• Herd Productivity Award – Indoor – Bill Bramhill, JSR Farms, Southburn, East Yorkshire.
• Trainee of the Year Award – Jess Graves, Shedden Farms, York.
• Young Pig Farmer of the Year – Winner – Joe Stent, J.E. Stent & Son, Suffolk.
• Young Pig Farmer of the Year – Highly Commended – Ruth Thomas, D.W. Filby & Son, Norfolk.
• Stockman of the Year – Wesley Heard, WJ Watkins & Son, Devon.
• Unit Manager of the Year – Gareth Virgo, J.E. Porter, Lincolnshire.
• NPA AIG Member of the Year – Vetsonic.

Headline image shows the 2016 winners – plus broadcaster Hazel Irvine, the 2016 Pig Awards host

However, the week before his introduction to commercial catering, the pub suddenly closed and he was left looking for something else to do. With little else on offer, he took the opportunity to work on a local farm that finishes 600 beef cattle each year and runs a small suckler herd. While the 7am starts came as a bit of a shock, three weeks later Darren was converted to farming, and continued working on the farm at weekends and on holidays throughout the rest of his education. An open day at Writtle Agricultural College persuaded him that agriculture had real prospects for a career and he signed up for the National Diploma in Agriculture course.

While his original course was very general, as his intention was to return and work full-time on the unit where he’d got his start in farming, the decision to stay on at Writtle to study for an Honours Degree in Agriculture resulted in Darren’s introduction to pigs. The final year of his course demanded a trial and dissertation, and the college’s pig unit provided the perfect opportunity for a suitable topic.

Working with three batches of pigs, as he collected data to look at the relationship between their birthweight and their whole-life performance, he developed a real taste for working with them. Visiting a few pig farms with college only added to his interest.

Job opportunity

Just two weeks before he was due to leave Writtle, a job was advertised on the college noticeboard that Darren couldn’t resist; he applied, and in June 2012 moved from full-time education into a full-time role with Pitts Farm’s 220-sow herd near the Essex village of Good Easter. Joining the unit with little experience, the first three months were mostly spent pressure washing on the unit, which operates a three-week batch farrowing. That soon changed, however, when two staff left in September that year, leaving just Darren, the pig unit manager and owner Guy Pitt to run the unit.

With farm staff hard to find in rural Essex, and the extra effort required in working on this predominantly straw-based system making that process even harder, Darren has been given every opportunity to progress. He immediately got involved in farrowing and serving, and this remains his favourite parts of the job.

Training has been central to his development from the start, and Darren has been through AHDB Pork’s Stockman and Stockman Plus training, and in both cases he has been able to bring things he learned back to the herd.

“After the Stockman training I changed how the sows were treated post-service,” he says. “Sows are now kept in the service area for six weeks after serving instead of three before. As a direct result, we have been able to increase the four-week conception rate from a three-year average of 74% to the latest three-year average of 86%.

And the Stockman Plus course allowed him to improve the farm’s pre-weaning piglet management.

“On return from training, I was able to implement a fostering programme to make up more even litters,” he adds. “This helped us to manage our mortality rate, even though we had an extra 1.5 piglets born – although we’re still working at improving our mortality rates.”

As a multiplier for Rattlerow Farms, producing gilts for five regular customers, Darren has also had the opportunity for some bespoke training from James Brice at Countess Wells, another National Pig Awards winner. This allowed him to look again at fostering, and in particular the treatment of small piglets.

Darren says that taking part in local AHDB meetings shouldn’t be underestimated as a source of new thinking that can be brought home and put into practice, and the same goes for farm visits. He took part in an AHDB visit to the Netherlands to look at sow performance and was able to report back to Guy Pitt about the success of fully slatted farrowing accommodation and ad-lib feeding of nursing sows.

“Compared to the solid floor farrowing accommodation that makes up most of the spaces, slatted floors decreased the amount of labour required for shovelling, and increased the time for caring for the sows and piglets,” Darren says. “As a result, Pitts Farm was able to make an informed decision on investing in Finrone mobile farrowing buildings.”

Training benefits

Darren welcomes all the training opportunities he has been given and admits he has progressed in leaps and bounds, having joined the unit fresh from college.

“With the support of my employers, I have moved from a young stockman into a more mature, well-rounded stockman,” he says. “I took on the management of the farrowing house and since the end of 2015 I have been manager of the whole pig operation.

“I have taken great pleasure and satisfaction from improving myself and the farm. I can’t wait to continue my development further, putting into place more ideas.”

At just 26, Darren is still in the early part of his career, and while he has ambitions, he’s content where he is at the moment.

“In the future, I’d like the challenge of managing a 500- or 1,000-sow unit, but not too soon,” he says. “I like the fact that working here I get to do a bit of everything.”

Guy Pitt will also be pleased to have Darren around for a while yet, and says he has brought new energy to the unit, which was established in the 1950s.

“Darren brings new ideas, thoughts and concepts to the farm that are logical and practical. He understands the business and is a real asset,” he says. “Darren came to us at a very crucial time for our business. His drive and energy has reignited my love of pig farming at a time when our business could have taken a turn in either direction.”

Four companies have been shortlisted for the award:

John Harvey Engineering – manufacturers of outdoor livestock equipment

Quality Equipment – providers of everyday pig equipment

TC Farm Services – suppliers of dry feeding equipment

Vetsonic – veterinary wholesalers

You can vote by clicking on the survey here

The closing date is October 14.

The winner will be announced at the National Pig Awards, which will take place on Wednesday, November 9, at the Lancaster London Hotel, Kensington, and will be hosted by BBC sports presenter Hazel Irvine, fresh from her stint in the Rio Olympics.

Headline image shows last year’s line-up of winners

There have been in excess of 50 entries across the board, and the first phase of judging began on Wednesday, August 3. The finalists, all of whom receive two free tickets to the gala dinner on Wednesday, November 9 at the London Lancaster Hotel, will be announced in our September issue, and the winners revealed on the night.

The chairman of judges, Stewart Houston, was very impressed with the standard of the entries received last year, and is expecting more of the same this year.

“Judging was incredibly challenging last year as the standard was so high,” he said. “I’ve seen the list of names who’ve entered this time, and I’m expecting this year’s judging to be equally challenging.”

If last year is anything to go by, the evening itself is going to be a great night. Last year’s gala dinner was attended by 380, with the event set to grow again this year. In order to allow for growth, the organisers have moved the event to a new venue – The London Lancaster.
The evening will be compered by a celebrity host, with celebrity entertainment too.

Tickets and tables for the evening are now available and interested parties should contact Simon Lewis (simon@lewisbusinessmedia.co.uk). Tickets are priced at £165, or tables of 10 at £1,500.

Officiating this year are:

Stewart Houston (Chair of Judges)
> We were delighted when Stewart agreed to step into the chairman’s role last year. There’s little we can say about him that hasn’t been said before! A CBE for services to the pig industry, David Black Award winner, previous chairman of BPEX and NPA…we could go on. Needless to say we’re thrilled Stewart is willing to commit his time to the National Pig Awards judging and the panel will benefit greatly from his experience.

Dr John Boyd
> Dr John Boyd is the national pig technical manager for Forfarmers. He’s a commercial pig nutritionist with more than 30 years’ experience. Extensive experience with on-farm advisory work in the UK and abroad, investigating the key issues facing pig producers from both a management and feeding point of view, have assisted him in improving the output of customers’ herds.

Mick Sloyan
> Mick is strategy director of AHDB Pork and deputy chief executive of AHDB. He has been with the levy body since its creation in 2001, and before that worked for the predecessor organisation, the Meat and Livestock Commission. He brings years of valuable industry experience to the judging table.

Sam Walton
> Sam Walton needs no introduction to the readers of Pig World. He is the founding editor of the title, a former pig producer and published author. He farms in Yorkshire when his current Pig World duties allow the time! He has unrivalled experience of British pig farms having visited most if not all (as well as a few in Thailand…) Prides himself on being able to find something new on every farm he visits.

John Lewis
> The publisher and owner of Pig World joins the judging panel for 2016. John brings general business management experience, which will assist with some of the business-focused awards such as investor in training.

David Owers
> David won the Single Site Producer of the Year in the inaugural awards in 2015. He operates a 700-sow farrow-to-finish unit that’s part of a larger 4,000-acre estate that is mostly arable, as well as having a beef suckler herd and a racehorse breeding stud. The panel will benefit hugely from his “producer eyes”.

Rick Buckle
> Rick was the winner of our overall Producer of the Year and Indoor Producer of the Year at the 2015 National Pig Awards. He has invested heavily in his unit, near Hull, in recent years expanding from 720 to 1,040 sows. This has meant spending a considerable sum on new buildings, but he feels the real key to the farm’s success has been regular monitoring of performance. He’s looking forward to being a judge as he knows it’ll be an excellent opportunity for him to see how others do things.

Lizzie Wilson
> The NPA’s policy services officer, Lizzie Wilson, has worked in the UK pig industry for 12 years.  While much of her time is spent in Whitehall and Brussels these days, battling the increasing tide of welfare and environmental legislation, as a farmer’s daughter and a former employee of BQP and Elanco, she has a thorough grounding in practical pig production. All of which makes her ideally suited to judge the National Pig Award candidates.

The National Pig Awards is now in its third year after a highly successful launch in 2014 and excellent 2015 competition. The awards are organised by Pig World in association with the NPA, AHDB Pork and the BPA. Pig World publisher John Lewis said of the judging panel: “We felt it was very important to have a balance of technical experts and producers on the panel to ensure it has the necessary expertise. We’re delighted with the panel we have and would like to thank them for their time commitment.”

Any producers who missed the entry deadline and want to enter should contact Kay O’Brien on 01825 983105 ASAP to find out if late entries can still be taken.

Now in their third year, the awards are designed to recognise and reward best practice and encourage wider adoption throughout the industry. Brought to you by Pig World, in association with the NPA, AHDB Pork and the BPA, the organisers encourage all producers to consider entering.

The awards categories this year are as follows.

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
> Indoor Producer of the Year
> Outdoor Producer of the Year
These categories require a written entry to include evidence of the following: records for production and cost of production (farrowing rate, numbers born, weaned and sold per sow, pre weaning mortality, replacement rate %, DLWG, FCR, days to slaughter), herd health planning and biosecurity, contributions to industry (outside of your own business); new investments and initiatives in buildings/equipment or generally; staff motivation and training; general appearance of unit; and initiatives such as marketing activity, farm shop or similar carried out by the business.

Contract Finisher of the Year
This award is based on key performance data (growth rates, FCR and so on). Judges will also consider the proportion of pigs sent that are within the weight range (“the box”) and grading information. In addition, other general welfare and business information will be taken into account.

Technical Innovation of the Year
This is an award for farmers or farm businesses, not suppliers. To win this award you must demonstrate any initiative, new idea or business development concept that has come to fruition in the past 12 months and is demonstrably new in your business.

Investor in Training Award
Advances in modern technology mean attending courses or on-farm training is essential. The winner of this award will be able to demonstrate how he/she has invested in staff training.

Producer Retailer of the Year
This award is to encourage and reward all marketing efforts by producers that are employed to increase sales and establish brands, and includes brand development, selling through multiple retailers and farm shops.

Pedigree Breeder of the Year
Open to all breeders of pedigree pigs, judged by sector-specific experts against a range of criteria. These include: the number of pigs sold to other breeders; performance at county shows; key breeding statistics; and processes in place to prevent inbreeding.

The Herd Productivity Award
This award recognises the importance of herd productivity and is a data-based award given to an organisation that can demonstrate continued excellence or significant improvement in pigs per sow per year.

Trainee of the Year Award
This award is open to all British pig unit personnel who can show how training is benefiting both their career and livestock performance on their unit. Where possible, this can be supported by unit performance data. Nominations are welcome from both experienced individuals and newcomers to the industry.

Young Pig Farmer of the Year
(Entrants must be aged 40 or younger on November 9, 2016) Your written entry must include details of the following: involvement in the business; demonstrations of new initiatives; and examples of commitment to the industry.

Stockman of the Year
Entries for this category can be nominated by the employing farmer or the employee him/herself. However, if they’re from the stockman directly they must include a reference from the employer. Judges will be looking for: evidence of commitment to the job; any innovation or similar that the stockman has been responsible for; evidence of “going the extra mile” and what this has achieved; and a reference from the employer supporting the individual stating why he/she is an appropriate winner.

Unit Manager of the Year
Entries for this category can be nominated by the owner or by the employee him/herself. If the latter, a reference from the owner will be required. Judges will be looking for evidence of how the manager has driven the business forward as well as excellence in motivating staff, hitting targets and commitment to record keeping.

Like access to Pig World itself, information on finalists and winners will be closely controlled and restricted
to bona fide members of the industry. The winners will be announced at a prestigious awards ceremony at The Lancaster Hotel, London, on Wednesday, November 9, 2016. All finalists will receive two complimentary tickets to the awards ceremony and will be able to network with the whole industry at the event.

The closing date for entries is Friday, July 1. If you would like to enter, email: kay@lewisbusinessmedia.co.uk or visit: www.nationalpigawards.co.uk