Pig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Buildings supplement
    • February 2025
    • 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Pig Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • 2024 Buildings Supplement
    • March 2024
    • 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • Health Supplement
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
Podcast
Pig WorldPig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    1. June 2025
    2. 2025 Innovation supplement
    3. May 2025
    4. April 2025
    5. March 2025
    6. 2025 Buildings supplement
    7. February 2025
    8. 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    9. January 2025
    10. December 2024
    11. November 2024
    12. 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    13. October 2024
    14. September 2024
    15. August 2024
    16. 2024 Pig Health supplement
    17. July 2024
    18. June 2024
    19. 2024 Innovation supplement
    20. 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    21. May 2024
    22. April 2024
    23. 2024 Buildings Supplement
    24. March 2024
    25. 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    26. February 2024
    27. January 2024
    28. December 2023
    29. November 2023
    30. 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    31. October 2023
    32. September 2023
    33. Health Supplement
    Featured

    June 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    June 4, 2025
    Recent

    June 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    June 4, 2025

    2025 Innovation supplement now available

    June 4, 2025

    May 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    May 1, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
Sam Walton

January 2016: Let’s all help LIPs deal with its funding cuts

Sam WaltonBy Sam WaltonJanuary 4, 20163 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

Where do the years go? Seems like no time at all that we were hoping for a better year for once, and here we are again, hoping for the same thing.

Our industry is lucky to have Ladies in Pigs (LIPs) to represent it; I think they’re more effective than any advertising, and we need to support them as an industry, and as individuals, better than we do now. I know that Sue Woodall, its brilliant leader, is concerned about the funding cuts LIPs is facing.

An example of what it does is the success of LIPs visits to various supermarkets in support of the AHDB’s Pulled Pork Campaign. News travels quickly, and one supermarket having heard of LIPs many successes, and in anticipation of its impending visit, had ordered 240 shoulders of pork instead of its usual 30. At the end of the day after the LIPs demo, it had sold 179. That tells me that it does a fantastic job.

I’ve been a supporter and follower since it started. We as an industry should be grateful for all LIPs does; for funding to be cut is a bit of a body blow, but AHDB Pork is being restricted in what it can give. I would urge every pig farmer, every reader, every company involved with our wonderful industry to put pen to cheque and give the girls a bit more support, so they can carry on doing what they do best.

So where’s the price going to finish up? Several people and companies involved reckon it is doom and gloom for the first four or five months of 2016. If everybody thinks that way, then no doubt that will happen. We’ll have a better idea by the time the Pig Fair comes round, as it’s usually a good indicator of the state of the industry.

Looking back, the improvement we’ve seen in production and the lowering of input costs is all due to superb breeding and management, and does help producers to hang on in there in the hope of a better future. There must be a limit to how much more we can do in a short time, as all the things we have improved take a while to take effect.

I have long been looking for a system which will give farmers £150/t for wheat and 150p/kg for pigs! That could be my New Year resolution as the arable boys are suffering as well, which I know to my own cost. One of the problems we have is that the firms we sell to and buy from are able to maintain their margins no matter what the price is.

I suppose the problem we have is the time it takes to produce a pig, about a year from conception, means by the time it reaches the market you either hit a high or low spot!

Hope you have a happy and hopefully prosperous New Year.

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleJanuary 2016: Where can the NPA make a difference?
Next Article January 2016: Take time to reflect on 2015
Sam Walton

Read Similar Stories

Current optimism means producers can fix the roof while the sun shines

October 5, 2017

Global pork news gives our producers plenty to cheer

May 6, 2017

The price is right for a prosperous year

February 1, 2017
Latest News

AHDB unveils new biosecurity tool available to support pig producers and vets

July 4, 2025

Will weight of numbers prevail, as ministers reconsider MOP labelling?

July 4, 2025

Comment: Encouraging signs as big pig issues discussed in parliament

July 4, 2025
Sponsored Content

THE GATEKEEPER OF RESPIRATORY HEALTH – MYCOPLASMA HYOPNEUMONIAE (M.HYO)

April 30, 2024

Tackle the root cause of PWD with free diagnostic tests

March 1, 2024
Current Pig Industry jobs
  • Experienced Pig Stockperson – Ref 1757 South East England

    • South East England
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson Farm Worker – Ref 1756 UK

    • United Kingdom
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Assistant Outdoor Pig Manager – Ref 1755 Oxfordshire

    • Oxfordshire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
GETTING IN TOUCH
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Meet The Editors
  • About Us
  • Email Newsletters
  • Subscribe
  • Reuse permissions
OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
PARTNER EVENTS
RELATED SITES
  • Farmers Weekly
  • Agronomist & Arable Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • National Pig Awards
  • Pigs Tomorrow
  • Poultry News
  • Weekly Tribune
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.