The strength of the British pig industry, especially in terms of high level quality assurance and welfare standards, will be highlighted during a special breakfast meeting with MEPs in Brussels next week by the National Pig Association (NPA) and the National Farmers Union (NFU).
The breakfast session will be used by NPA/NFU representatives to focus attention on the highly structured status of the British industry, including the existence of accredited certificates of competence and a professional register for skilled farm staff.
NPA also said it would be drawing attention to the fact that nearly 50% of British pigs spend some of their lives outdoors, 90% are covered by the independently-audited Red Tractor quality assurance scheme and almost a third are inspected by RSPCA for its Freedom Food animal welfare label.
The opportunity will also be taken to alert MEPs to the fact that “getting planning permission for new pig units to replace our old pig housing stock is proving increasingly difficult” in Britain, due largely to public misconceptions about modern food production.
NPA added that the Brussels breakfast is part of the Association’s “Keep-It-Up” campaign, to explain and protect the British pig price premium.