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
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Buildings supplement
    • February 2025
    • 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Pig Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • Innovation supplement 2024
    • Pig & Poultry Fair Guide 2024
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • Buildings Supplement
    • March 2024
    • Pig Nutrition (Beyond Zinc)
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • National Pig Awards Supplement 2023
    • 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. May 2025
    2. April 2025
    3. March 2025
    4. 2025 Buildings supplement
    5. February 2025
    6. 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    7. January 2025
    8. December 2024
    9. November 2024
    10. National Pig Awards supplement
    11. October 2024
    12. September 2024
    13. August 2024
    14. 2024 Pig Health supplement
    15. July 2024
    16. June 2024
    17. Innovation supplement 2024
    18. Pig & Poultry Fair Guide 2024
    19. May 2024
    20. April 2024
    21. Buildings Supplement
    22. March 2024
    23. Pig Nutrition (Beyond Zinc)
    24. February 2024
    25. January 2024
    26. December 2023
    27. November 2023
    28. National Pig Awards Supplement 2023
    29. October 2023
    30. September 2023
    31. Health Supplement
    Featured

    May 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    May 1, 2025
    Recent

    May 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    May 1, 2025

    April 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    April 4, 2025

    March 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    March 6, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
News

Oversight of support package needed to ensure it does not crash the pig price

Alistair DriverBy Alistair DriverNovember 5, 20214 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

NPA chief executive Zoe Davies hasĀ urgedĀ the Government to undertake proper oversight of the pig industry support package to ensure it does not deliver unintended consequences for the pig sector.

The support package, announced in October, comes into effect this month, with measures such as 800 new butchers’ visas, a private storage aid scheme and incentives for processors to put on extra kills – designed to increase throughput through plants and, in turn, help reduce the backlog of pigs on farms.

Dr DaviesĀ said it remained unclear whether the initiatives will have a significant impact on getting more pigs through plants and, if so, how long it will take before under-pressure pig producers start to see benefits.

The 800 butchers’ visas, for example, falls well short of the 10-12,000 butchery roles the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) says still need to be filled, but processors are hopeful that they will be able to bring in extra butchers and it will make a difference. They are keen that Defra ensures the visa applications are pushed through quickly, she added.

With processors still digesting the rules and conditions surrounding PSA, this is also something of an unknown quantity.

Another element of the package is the ā€˜additional shift’ bonus designed to incentivise plants to put on additional shift to increase throughput.

Measures to ease the backlog are still desperately needed – there are no signs of the backlog easing, and many farmers remain desperately short of space, having exhausted contingency plans. The NPA has heard of approximately 10,000 pigs across on various farms that have had to be culled to ease space pressures – there may well be more.

SPP crash

But Dr Davies has stressed that any measures to ease the backlog must not come at the cost of the pig price, concerns sparked by recent crashes in the standard pig price (SPP) – including, for the third time in five weeks, last week –Ā following extra culls of pigs for export with minimal butchering, with low prices paid to producers.

ā€œFor NPA, the pressure will remain firmly on Defra to ensure that the schemes that they have put in place actually deliver their main aim of reducing the pig backlog, and as quickly as possible,ā€ Zoe wrote in the latest issue of Pig World.

ā€œOur other focus is how we ensure that the SPP is not unduly influenced by distressed loads being sold at prices that are way below the standard contract price. I think we all recognise that we are flying way above the EU pig price which is in turn applying significant downward pressure on the SPP, but I honestly believe that this should happen naturally and in the usual way, rather than literally crashing down.

ā€œI have told Defra in no uncertain terms that whilst well meaning, I am sure that they wouldn’t want their carefully constructed schemes, designed to bring more pigs through the system, to be responsible for the annihilation of the pig price and therefore the reason many more pig producers exit the sector.ā€

ā€œThe problem is that processors are being leant on by the RPA who seem a little overzealous in their role of ensuring that there is no price fixing going on and there is confusion as to legally what processors can and can’t do. A couple of really helpful suggestions have been provided, though, so we will continue to follow these up and see what can be done.

ā€œAlthough all this activity continues, we are acutely aware that the situation on many farms is still dire and for some producers, these measures have sadly come way too late. I feel for every single one of them.

ā€œWe will keep fighting to stem the flow, but every time I think about how all of this was entirely avoidable, my anger and my sadness intensifies. It has to stop.ā€

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleIt’s OK to reach out to others – in fact, it’s essential if we’re to get through this
Next Article Revamped Porc Blasus website launches to boost Wales’ specialised pork sector
Alistair Driver

Editor Pig World, group editor Agronomist and Arable Farmer and Farm Contractor. National Pig Association webmaster. Former political editor at Farmers Guardian. Occasional media pundit. Brought up on a Leicestershire farm. Works from a shed in his Oxfordshire garden.

Read Similar Stories

MPs call on Government to delay IHT reforms until 2027

May 16, 2025

Government eases Germany foot-and-mouth disease controls

May 16, 2025

Q1 margins tighten further as pig prices fall and costs rise

May 15, 2025
Latest News

MPs call on Government to delay IHT reforms until 2027

May 16, 2025

Government eases Germany foot-and-mouth disease controls

May 16, 2025

Q1 margins tighten further as pig prices fall and costs rise

May 15, 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
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1739 Devon

    • Devon
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1738 Co. Fermanagh

    • County Fermanagh
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Stockperson

    • Swaffham, Norfolk
    • DYER LIVESTOCK 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
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
Ā© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

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