EPP Congress 2008

European Pig Producers Congress 2008 is in Norwich on June 5-8. This year's host is the English branch of EPP, which has chosen for its theme "How to live with the world's most sophisticated retailers".
 

This will be a once-in-a-lifetime event. In addition to some excellent papers there will be a full social diary for delegates. All pig industry people are urged to attend, to forge links with our opposite numbers across Europe. Both members and non-members may attend, but it costs more for non-members. Securing hotel rooms is organiser Ian Campbell's big issue at present, so if you are proposing to attend please ring him immediately on 01359 259452 or 07771 923354. 
 

For prices and registration details click here. For further details about the timetable, click here.

Key papers will be structure of pig production in Great Britain by Mick Sloyan, Structure of supply chain by Richard Lowe; the retailer - Tesco explains what drives its business and what it looks for from its supply chain; the processor - meeting retailer expectations as a strong supplier or as a partner in the chain by Tulip International and Tonnies; the producer - an equal partner in the supply chain?

Marketing News

Support from Prince Charles

HRH Prince Charles had shown his support for the pig industry with a statement read out on his behalf at Pig Fair.

The statement says: “I particularly want to take this opportunity to express my deep concern for the pig sector which, I know, is going through an immensely difficult time as a result of the huge rise in feed costs.   

“There is a growing awareness of the problem and those retailers who are raising their prices should be congratulated.  However, little, if any, of the increase is being passed down the chain to the farmer and, unless urgent action is taken, this country’s pig sector, which has never received subsidies, could be decimated.

“This would be a tragedy for this country which produces some of the finest quality pigs and which operates according to the highest standards of husbandry and animal welfare – for instance 40 per cent of British pigs are reared outdoors, something unique in Europe.

“I can only urge consumers to do everything they can to support British pig farmers by buying pork, bacon, ham and sausages which bear the Quality Standard Mark, or which are clearly organic or free-range pigs raised by British breeders.”

Knowledge Transfer

Tip of the week - Electric Fences
The recent wet and warm weather will have meant that grass and weeds have grown out of control and many of them underneath your essential electric fence! It is essential to keep these weeds down to stop them zapping all the power from your electric fences and letting sows and boars escape! Check your fences regularly and spray or strim weeds routinely.

Catchment Sensitive Farming

See how manures can be applied to growing crops to save money and improve soil fertility, whilst avoiding any potential environmental problems. Catchment Officer, Derek Knight, will also be on hand to discuss capital grants available for manure storage and pesticide handling in priority areas within the East Yorkshire Catchment. NRoSO and BASIS points applied for. It takes place at 2pm on May 20 at JSR Farms, Southburn, Driffield

Grassland and Muck
BPEX will be attending the Grassland and Muck Event (Stand 914) next week at Stoneleigh on 21 - 22 May. A free manure and slurry analysis service is being offered to farmers who bring slurry/manure samples to the event.  Minimum sample sizes of 1 litre of slurry or 1 kg of manure are all that are needed.  Don't miss this unique opportunity!

Open Farm Sunday

There are less than four weeks until Open Farm Sunday! Local and national media activity is gathering momentum, and LEAF is working with a PR agency targeting consumer media as well as key third parties and all agricultural trade media. 

Interest so far has been really good with diary dates and features expected in many publications, including The Archers. 

If you would like to take part in Open Farm Sunday on 1st June 2008 its not too late - please register your event on www.farmsunday.org or if you would like to know more first, please telephone LEAF on 024 76 41 3911.

There are many organisations that can provide you and your visitors with a wide range of free resources for your Open Farm Sunday event. Very shortly sponsors Frontier will be sending hosts an Open Farm Sunday car sticker as well as goody bags for your visitors from Claas.

Cash for Staff Development

BPEX has been working with Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) across the country to secure funding under the banner of vocational training/staff development.

The key attribute to this project is recognising, utilising and building on the existing skills and knowledge within the industry, which will ultimately help towards improving the competitiveness and efficiency of businesses within the English pig industry.

There is a wide range of opportunities for this money to be used across the industry and BPEX would urge anybody who organises events for producers/members of the supply chain to get in touch.

Under this scheme, various methods of staff development such as discussion groups, producer clubs, information days or specific training events can attract up to 70% funding. 

If you have a project or idea you would like to be considered for this funding please contact Tess Howe on 07779 32107 or visit the BPEX stand at the pig fair (stand no 47 in Exhibition Hall 2).

NADIS Latest

NADIS veterinary reporters have recently been commenting on the use of additives in semen to improve fertility.  A ‘long acting’ version of Oxytocin (Reprocine: Vetoquinol) has been advocated for this purpose and on some farms results are encouraging.

However, as with any pharmaceutical application, such treated is not a panacea.  There is still a need to attend to the detail of management with respect to heat detection, timing and insemination technique to achieve optimum performance; medicines are an aid to good management, not a substitute. A set of posters illustrating best practice is available from BPEX.

National News:

Brisk Business at Pig Fair

The industry at this weeks Pig Fair was cautiously upbeat in the wake of recent pig price increases but left nobody in any doubt that the current financial haemorrhaging by producers needs to end now for there to be an industry tomorrow.

On the BPEX stand at the event the mood was very much hands on and sleeves rolled up.  The Knowledge Transfer team was kept busy for a full two days helping with individual BPEX customers address issues within their pig businesses providing practical advice to resolve production problems or tackle the latest environmental burdens and also indicating where more specialist information and help could be obtained.

The BPEX Marketing team was no less busy updating on movements in the pig meat market place work with public bodies such as NHS and MOD on their procurement policies or the range of initiatives and resources BPEX have on offer for the education sector and health professionals.  The team was also on hand helping people looking at moving into direct marketing and explaining plans on the next wave of activity to address the current feed crisis.

A menu of BPEX information available at the event was prepared and if you didn’t have a chance to get to the show or pick up all the information you wanted click here to download a copy of the menu and fax back to BPEX and we will send out the appropriate material.

Stacks of Info on Website

The new Market Intelligence data area of the BPEX website (www.bpex.org.uk/MarketIntelligence) holds a wealth of insightful pig market indicators from weekly clean pig supply situation through GB and EU slaughtering information, monthly trade data, current prices in GB and other member states, consumption trends and forecast supplies for the EU.  Users can also monitor the cereal market, both the ex-farm price and the futures price, to allow them to consider risk management of feed costs through the use of market derivatives.  As increasing feed costs have affected pig production throughout the EU, on a monthly basis users can compare the costs of production, adjusted for feed and exchange rates, in different member states.  As costs of production rose BPEX launched its “Pigs are worth it” campaign and subsequently retail prices increased.  The website allows users to check how the DAPP is performing against the average price of a retail pork basket.   

If you have any comments about this area of the BPEX website please contact Joanne Knowles at Joanne.Knowles@ahdbms.org.uk.

Can’t Cook Won’t Cook

Almost eight in 10 people do not have the basic cooking skills to roast a chicken or even boil an egg, according to a survey.

Despite the efforts of celebrity chefs like Delia Smith and Nigella Lawson, many cannot make themselves the simplest of meals, the poll of 1,500 adults for grocers Somerfield found.

It showed 79% of adults cannot boil an egg, while 83% do not know how long it takes to roast a chicken and 9% think it takes less than 30 minutes to roast potatoes.

More than a third (37%) think British staple shepherd's pie is made with beef mince rather than lamb mince.

Half of men blamed their poor skills on their education and lack of cookery classes at school.

However 41% of 16 to 24-year-olds regularly cooked with their parents when they were younger, compared with 28% of over 65s.

Pig Vacancy

Faculty of Biological Sciences Institute of Integrative and Comparative Biology, Leeds University.  This post is available immediately for a fixed-term of 12 months.

An assistant technician based at Spen Farm, the University of Leeds site of the Pig Development Centre (PDC) is being sought. The ideal candidate will perform practical duties involving pig care, farm and trial work being conducted at the PDC. The job will involve heavy work and continuous manual labour in all weathers. Previous experience is not essential as training will be provided although agricultural experience would be an advantage.

You should have GCSEs or equivalent in Maths and Science and good communication skills. A full current valid driving licence is required as the Farm is inaccessible via public transport.

For more information on this position please click here. The closing date for applications is 30th May 2008.

International News:

Export Report

Latest news and views from markets around Europe,click here

Return of MBM?

Given the increase in feeding costs, French pig producers now consider the idea of re-introducing Meat and Bone Meal into animal feed.

This issue is quite sensitive and no official request to the government has been formulated yet but Guillaume Roué, vice-président of the French Federation of Pigs Producers (Fédération nationale française des producteurs de porcs) thinks that a partial reintroduction of poultry meal in pig feed would be possible. Le Monde reports that feeding costs represent up to 65% of the total costs of production for pigs and that at the moment pig meat is sold 1.15 euro/kg while it costs 1.60 euros to produce. Using Processed Animal Proteins would enable pigs producers to save 4 cts per kg. 

At the moment it seems that french government is not really supportive of this idea. In an opinion published about a year ago, the French Food Safety Agency was supporting the keeping of the ban on processed animal proteins. 

The European Commission is currently working on establishing a reliable method to distinguish between different type of proteins (poultry, pigs...) and to establish a possibly safe tolerance level of MBM in animal feed. Results are expected to be published by 2009. Meanwhile, there is no doubt that the French pig producers will watch the Commission work on that matter very closely.

International Prices

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