A reminder has been issued to Ppg producers and processors about the looming deadline to for all existing contracts must comply with the new the Fair Dealing Obligations (Pigs) Regulations.
The FDO regulations became law in August 2025, requiring all new pig‑purchase contracts from that date onward to be in writing, signed, and to include clearly defined terms on pricing, duration, volumes, termination and dispute resolution.
A one-year transition period means that all contracts, regardless of when they were signed, must be compliant by August 13, 2026.
In a message to members, the British Meat Processors Association said: “We’re flagging this now as we’ve been hearing that there’s some lack of awareness of this 2026 requirement deadline.
“While some exemptions apply under the new law, it’s worth noting that producers may lodge complaints for non‑compliance, potentially resulting in fines (up to 1 % of a purchasing company’s annual turnover) or compensation awards.
“With only three months to go, we’re encouraging pig processors to proactively review and update both their older contracts that have been running from before August 13, 2025, as well as their new contracting templates to ensure compliance.”
NPA chief executive Lizzie Wilson also isued a reminder to NPA members. “The onus is on processors to ensure they are compliant on all contracts by mid-August. Whilst we appreciate the very difficult market conditions currently, if this has not been discussed yet with your customers, we encourage you to start raising it now,” she said.