The NPA’s chairman, Richard Lister, hosted a group of Defra staff at his Yorkshire farm last week.
The visit was intended to show the staff, who covered various Defra policy areas, the realities of modern pig farming. Most had never been on a pig unit, although interestingly many did have farming backgrounds.
NPA chief executive Zoe Davies attended the visit. She said: “After a presentation by me giving an overview of NPA and its activities, we split into two groups for the farm tour, from service right through to the weaner sheds.
“It was really rewarding to hear so many questions and lively debate on such a range of topics. The staff all said that they’d had a really good experience and learnt a lot – crucial for when they go back into the Defra machine to help their understanding of practical pig production and how policies written will affect our sector.”