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
Comment

The pivotal events of 20 years ago that shaped our industry today

PW ReportersBy PW ReportersAugust 2, 20183 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email
Stewart Houston, speaking at a rally in London in 1999

Stewart Houston, a leading figure in the British Pig Industry Support Group and a former chair of NPA and BPEX, looks back on the dramatic events of 20 years ago.

The summer of 1998 was the most pivotal period in the British pig industry’s history. Back then, there was NO NPA, NO BPEX, NO AHDB, NO strategy, NO Red Tractor, NO email and NO iPhones. Stalls and tethers were still legal (until January 1, 1999) and France won the World Cup.

Later in the year, the 38th David Black Award was won by Malton boss Max Hilliard, who joked in his acceptance speech that Saddam Hussein’s family was upset that he was being compared to Max!

A series of well documented economic events led to the lowest AAPP for years, well below the cost of production, with no spot price for surplus pigs. Most of the producers had emptied their bank accounts making changes brought about by the ‘chance-in-a-million’ Richard Body Private Members Bill banning stalls and tethers.

The industry came together at a July crisis meeting at Bishop Burton College and formed the ad hoc British Pig Industry Support Group.

For the first time we had producers, allied industries and processors standing together to fight for the survival of the sector. Pig World editor Digby Scott ‘volunteered’ to help with PR and communications, most of which were done by phone and fax!

When I look back at the camaraderie built up over those next few months, everyone working together for a common cause, organising protests and rallies and demonstrations which took them outside their comfort zones (although some enjoyed it!) – that was when we built the foundation for today’s modern pig industry.

Imports that did not meet our new standards were the focus of ‘meetings’ at ports of entry, cutting plants and retail distribution depots.

Reaching the hearts and minds of the British consumer and their idea of fairness was the other strand of BPISG’s work, organising rallies and stunts to gain press attention. Who would have thought that we would work with the Metropolitan Police to organise a rally in London? And that Meryl Ward would get away with organising our own train to get Northerners to London? It was late because it hit a pheasant which blocked the radiator!

Later that year, BPISG, supported by then NFU president Ben Gill and DG Richard Macdonald, Grenville Welch (BPA CEO) and John Godfrey, brokered the BPA Commercial and Allied Industries Committee merger with the NFU Pigs Committee to form the National Pig Association.

At the same time, Don Curry, the then Meat & Livestock Commission chairman, offered to help us create the British Pig Executive, putting producers and processors in charge of the focus for pig levy spend.

These new organisations had a baptism of fire, having to deal with classical swine fever in East Anglia, rapidly followed by foot-and-mouth in 2001. Had they not been in place to design and implement the marketing, R&D, export and pig health strategies in the early 2000s, the industry would have been reduced to a few hobby farmers.

 

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleJudgement day for Awards entries
Next Article ‘I just remember the sheer numbers’
PW Reporters

Read Similar Stories

Vet View: Importance of iron and vitamin D for pigs and for me

June 9, 2025

Vet View: Step back and look at your unit with external eyes

May 7, 2025

Comment: Pigs Tomorrow – shaping the future of the pig industry

May 5, 2025
Latest News

Sofina Foods acquires NI food manufacturer Finnebrogue

June 30, 2025

Environment Agency farm inspections to increase by 50%

June 30, 2025

Nominate the 2025 David Black Award winner

June 30, 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 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.