Minister compliments English industry

UK - Food and farming minister Lord Rooker has paid tribute to the leaders of the English pig industry for their help during the foot and mouth crisis. And he has agreed that government should now take measures to restore confidence in the industry, writes Digby Scott.

All decisions taken to fight foot and mouth had been in partnership with the pig industry but nevertheless the damage to the industry had been severe, he said.

This had come at a time of extreme volatility in the industry that nobody could have predicted.

“There are bound to be substantial increases in prices but that shouldn’t have to wait until the industry has been cut in half," said Lord Rooker. “We will be looking to see there is no racketeering by supermarkets and the middle people at this time of stress. If we don’t look after what we have got we will lose it.”

Lord Rooker: In agreement with producers over FMD and market crisis

He noted thast the pig industry has always stood on its own feet without subsidies. “You don’t need lectures from government about getting close to the market. Other sectors have got a lot to learn from the pig industry and Defra has got a lot to learn from the industry."

Lord Rooker was responding to Richard Longthorp’s address at last week’s presentation of the David Black Award where he told Lord Rooker the 'Pirbright Drain’ would be a source of some embarrassment to the government.

The minister said he accepted and agreed with Mr Longthorp's and the pig industrys concerns.  All decisions taken to fight foot and mouth had been in partnership with the pig industry but nevertheless the damage to the industry had been severe, he said.

This had come at a time of extreme volatility in the industry that nobody could have predicted.

“There are bound to be substantial increases in prices but that shouldn’t have to wait until the industry has been cut in half," said Lord Rooker. “We will be looking to see there is no racketeering by supermarkets and the middle people at this time of stress. If we don’t look after what we have got we will lose it.”

He noted thast the pig industry has always stood on its own feet without subsidies. “You don’t need lectures from government about getting close to the market. Other sectors have got a lot to learn from the pig industry and Defra has got a lot to learn from the industry."

Lord Rooker was responding to Richard Longthorp’s address at last week’s presentation of the David Black Award where he told Lord Rooker the 'Pirbright Drain’ would be a source of some embarrassment to the government.

The minister said he accepted and agreed with Mr Longthorp's and the pig industrys concerns.

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