Pig farmers commission marketing report

09 October 1998

Pig farmers commission marketing report

By FW reporters

LEADERS of the British Pig Industry Support Group (BPISG) plan to commission an independent report on the promotion and marketing of home-produced pigmeat.

The BPISG is unhappy with the way pigmeat is marketed by the Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC).

The MLC is also responsible for promoting beef and lamb. But the BPISG wants a single, separate voice for the pig industry to ensure the current crisis in the sector is never repeated.

Discussions on commissioning the report are under way with representatives of Wye College, the agricultural college of London University.

The support group intends to use the findings in a submission to MAFF during the Governments five-yearly review of the Meat and Livestock Commission.

Meanwhile, the Budgen supermarket in Harleston, Norfolk, will be the target of a BPISG march and rally tomorrow (Saturday).

One support group member said he doubted the truth of Budgens claims that its Belgium-sourced pigmeat was from stall-and-tether-free systems.

“We are somewhat sceptical of this,” he said.

The BPISG has embarked on a tour of the country with a giant model pig in a sow stall to highlight the difference between UK and foreign welfare standards.

The giant pig will be paraded outside supermarkets selling imported pigmeat products that do not match UK standards.