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

    July 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    July 6, 2025
    Recent

    July 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    July 6, 2025

    June 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    June 4, 2025

    2025 Innovation supplement now available

    June 4, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
People

R&D highlight for Hugh Crabtree in 2016

PW ReportersBy PW ReportersDecember 22, 20163 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

Pig World has invited industry leaders to share their Christmas/New Year highs and lows from 2016, while also expressing a pig sector wish for 2017.  Today’s contribution is from Hugh Crabtree, managing director of Farmex.

PW – What was your pig sector highlight/lowpoint of 2016?

HC – My highlight for 2016 has been our involvement with a collaborative R&D project that has five pig farmers as consortium partners. We hear a lot about the agri-tech strategy – especially because of the centres of innovation excellence that have been set up.

My gripe is that farmers do not seem to figure very much in this programme which is a mistake as it is farmers that will be needed to take the innovations forward into commercial practise. It has been very good therefore, to be leading a project which has farmers using the developing systems first hand, within their production systems.

A significant lowpoint was the death of an industry visionary and personal friend – John Godfrey. The sector can ill-afford to lose such experience and knowledge. On a happier and balancing note however, the Pig Industry Scholarship Scheme is attracting bright new talent into the sector.

PW – What do you most hope will be achieved by UK pig producers in 2017?

HC – I really hope that pig producers will grasp the opportunity to invest in their facilities and the many innovations and new technologies that are emerging from the public funds that are being spent under the agri-tech strategy. In light of the need to compete in cost of production terms and the likely regulatory restrictions on the use of anti-biotics – fresh facilities are a must.

PW – What one pig industry experience did you enjoy most in 2016?

HC – Speaking at the World Agri-Tech Investment Summit at the invitation of Innovate UK was an engagement that I approached with some trepidation on account of the Dragons’ Den nature of the limited time pitch to an audience of global investors. Last in to bat, what I had to say went down well and produced an extremely promising lead into China and an evening with some Norwegian innovators putting the world to rights. Great fun!

PW – Free pig sector comment – something you feel strongly about.

HC – We are familiar with the ups and downs of pig prices and although the classic “pig cycle” may be a thing of the past in the UK, the market is still very much influenced by world events. Every time the industry goes through a period of loss making prices for producers there is talk of improving the image of pork, focusing on eating quality and raising awareness of the excellent value of the product. There is always talk about new product development – which talk evaporates when prices recover. It really frustrates me that the blatantly obvious connection between the inexorable rise in poultry meat consumption and the many, many ways of buying the product never seems to be taken on board. Short term campaigns boost sales but what we need is hundreds more ways of buying pork that are nutritious, good value and convenient. Where are the pork nuggets and strips? Where are the high street fast food chains for pork?

Headline image shows Hugh with a microchip which he says has “transformed” data capture on pig farms.

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleUK to head new global farm and food research initiative
Next Article Meryl Ward celebrates the pig sector positives of 2016
PW Reporters

Read Similar Stories

Tributes paid, after respected pig farmer, Rob Beckett, passes away

July 7, 2025

Opportunity for pig farmers to take part in Just Farmers media workshops

June 20, 2025

Pig industry veteran Hugh Crabtree awarded MBE

June 16, 2025
Latest News

GB pig prices for week ending July 5, 2025 – SPP bounces back to reach year high

July 9, 2025

Nutrient Action Programme could destroy NI pig sector, UFU warns

July 9, 2025

Comment: British pork reimagined: Data-led marketing for a changing consumer

July 9, 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 1759 North Yorkshire

    • North Yorkshire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1758 Norfolk

    • Norfolk
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Experienced Pig Stockperson – Ref 1757 South East England

    • South East England
    • 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.