For more than four decades, life as an independent pig farmer in Northern Ireland has had its ups and downs but, overall, it has been ‘fairly steady’, according to County Tyrone producer Glenn Cuddy, who farms alongside his sons, Mark and Richard.
Over the past six months, however, the future of many producers in NI has been thrown into turmoil by a collective loss of contracts, exacerbated by what they say is a lack of communication.
Total NI pig numbers increased by 8% to 744,858 head in the year to June 2025, according to the latest census figures.
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) figures show that 30,000-40,000 pigs are typically slaughtered per week, about three-quarters of which are home-produced, with the rest imported from the Republic of Ireland.
The vast majority of pigs are processed at two main plants – Cranswick’s Ballymena site and Sofina Foods’ Cookstown factory.
Mr Cuddy, who also serves as deputy president of the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU), was among a group of about 30 producers supplying Sofina and Cranswick through the United Pig Cooperative (UPC).
Back in November, Sofina had indicated that it needed more Red Tractor-approved pigs on the ground, Mr Cuddy said.
However, in the first week of December, the group, which had been supplying 2,500 pigs a week to Sofina, was told its contracts were going to be terminated and that Sofina was significantly cutting back on pig numbers. This was alongside terminating other contracts.
The indication was that Sofina needed 3,000 fewer pigs per week in NI, based on current numbers and projections of what it needed going forward, he said.
More recently, other independent farmers have been given notice, too, meaning about 35-40 farmers in total will be affected.
In some cases, pig numbers have been cut completely, while in others they have been reduced by a percentage, typically about 30%, as UPC looked to manage the situation.
“I am destocking by 30-40%,” Mr Cuddy said. “All being well, I have managed to get most of my pigs sold. But I still have the same overheads and wages to pay, with fewer pigs to sell and less money coming in – and the current depressed market situation does not help.
“I’m cutting back because I simply can’t afford to keep pigs without a market destination and I do not want to take the chance, particularly given the potential for an animal welfare situation, let alone the distress for the farmer this causes.
“But some farmers in our group are going to take the chance because they can’t believe the current situation has occurred and think things will work out.”
Even if Sofina is able to give producers certainty at some point in the future and take some of the excess 3,000 pigs, Mr Cuddy added, the question is, at what price?
“Unless pigs are taken out of the system or new destinations are found, there could be more than 3,000 pigs a week without a market destination at the end of the year when existing contracts expire. Prices are already under extreme pressure, and this could squeeze the market even further.”
There is also growing frustration over the continuing import of pigs into Sofina from the Republic of Ireland ‘when local producers are being forced out of business’, he said.
Communication
Sofina also faced criticism over its lack of communication with producers about the cuts, and accusations that it had failed to match words with actions.
UFU issued a statement in May calling on it to ‘break the silence and provide clarity on future plans for pigs in Northern Ireland’. Deputy president Clement Lynch said many pig farmers ‘face significant uncertainty’ and are questioning the long-term future of their businesses.
The statement noted how farmers were informed of the cuts after Sofina chief executive Ash Amirahmadi outlined what appeared to be a positive vision and a range of plans for the pig sector at a stakeholder meeting in Belfast.
After the UFU met with Sofina in February 2026, requests for a follow-up meeting initially ‘fell on deaf ears’. A meeting subsequently took place between the UFU and Sofina, which was described by Mr Cuddy as ‘pretty rough’.
UFU officials again pressed for clarity. After the meeting, Mr Lynch said farmers ‘need clear answers on contracts, notice periods, future supply arrangements and what role independent NI producers will have in the supply chain going forward’.
“We’re in a difficult place,” Mr Cuddy added. “A lot of farmers have put a good amount of money into their business on the contracts they had. To be told you aren’t needed any more, after they were looking for more pigs, is incredibly difficult.”
The UFU has called for an urgent meeting with DAERA minister Andrew Muir to discuss the situation.
Downward pressure
Graham Wilkinson, Sofina’s group agriculture director, said the decision last December not to renew ‘a number of NI pig supply contracts’ at the end of this year was ‘entirely driven by the ongoing global volatility, pricing pressure and shifting customer demands, which continue to challenge the British and Irish pig sector’.
He said the move reflected ‘the continued downward pressure on the market, driven in part by increased competition from European supply following the impact of African swine fever in Spain and changes in trade flows’.
“Decisions of this nature are never taken lightly, and we recognise the impact they have on farmers and their families, but this pressure is being felt right across the industry and we are not immune to that,” he said.
Mr Wilkinson stressed that pig numbers were being reduced ‘across the board’, including through its own farms, as well as its independent farm suppliers. A
review could result in the closure of some of its Brydock breeding farms.
“These are incredibly difficult decisions and are in no way a reflection of the commitment, professionalism or dedication of the people who may be affected. Rather, they reflect the same market pressures being experienced across the industry, including within our own farming operations,” he said.
He added that pig numbers are being reduced from independent producers in NI and ROI. “Cookstown is and has always been the processing site for our ROI and NI pigs to serve their local respective markets.”
There has been discussion within the sector about whether the contract cuts from all the big processors were linked to the looming August 13 deadline for all contracts to comply with the Fair Dealing Obligation (Pigs) (FDO) regulations.
Mr Wilkinson insisted the ‘hard decision’ not to renew some contracts was entirely driven by the downturn in the market and ‘not in any way by the FDO regulations’.
Commenting on the criticisms of Sofina’s communications with farmers, he said: “We met with the UFU to listen to its concerns, and we acknowledge the need for clear and timely communication.”
After the most recent meeting, Sofina reviewed the situation and identified a handful of affected farmers where ‘it appears communication through the agreed and contractual route with a pig supplier group did not operate as intended’.
“This meant some suppliers experienced a delay in receiving the formal notice that their contracts would not be renewed,” he said.
“We recognised the concern and challenges this caused and after careful consideration, despite this being out of our control, we have confirmed that their notice period will be extended through to April 2027.”
Long-term commitment
Mr Wilkinson added that while this pressure is being felt across the industry, it does not change its ‘long-term commitment to the British and Irish pig sector’.
“This is exactly why we recently launched Sofina Connect, a programme that is designed specifically to address these kinds of industry challenges, bringing farmers and customers together to respond to market pressures, share risk, improve resilience on farm and support a more sustainable, long-term future for the sector,” he said.
“Our ambition is to support a more sustainable, long-term future for the sector and to create a thriving pork industry that is well invested and fit for the future.
“A key part of this is building strong, long-term partnerships with both retail and foodservice customers, working together to respond to market pressures and ensure a resilient, high-quality supply of British and Irish pork.
“We believe maintaining a strong domestic pork sector is in everyone’s interest. Collaboration is essential and we are committed to working with all our partners to support a sustainable and successful future for British and Irish pork.”