Freedom Food Accreditation for Sainsbury Supplier
NORTHERN IRELAND - Ballymena farmer, Alistair Bell, is set to be the first pork supplier in Northern Ireland to achieve the coveted 'Freedom Food' Farm Assurance certification.

Scottish Red Meat Industry's Pride Highlighted
SCOTLAND, UK - A new publication highlighting the reasons the Scottish red meat industry takes such pride in its brands – from economic to environment and welfare - has been launched today by Quality...

Stressful Spring for Boars
UK - The hot, dry spring has highlighted the issue of heat stress in pigs which can cause fertility problems in boars as well as sows.

WI Scraps Vote on 'Mega Farms' Resolution
UK - In an unprecedented move, the Women’s Institute AGM in Liverpool has decided not to vote on a resolution about ‘mega farms’.

RSPCA Guides Consumers on Rearing Systems
UK - Do you know your free range from your outdoor? Or indeed your indoor from your barn? RSPCA advises consumers about barn, indoor-reared, outdoor-bred, outdoor-reared and free-range rearing of poultry...

New Pig Welfare at Slaughter Online Training Course
UK - Consumer demand is increasing the need for transparency across the pork supply chain. To help promote the importance of pig welfare at slaughter, RL Consulting has developed a new, online pig welfare...

Freedom Food Accreditation for Sainsbury's Supplier
NORTHERN IRELAND - Ballymena farmer Alistair Bell is set to be the first pork supplier in Northern Ireland to achieve the coveted 'Freedom Food' Farm Assurance.

Awards for Top East Anglian Pig Co Producers
UK - An urgently needed increase in the retail price of pork would make a major difference in sustaining the UK pig industry, said Jim Burling, pig production manager of East Anglian Pig Co, at its second...

Vet Calls for Collaboration in Pig Supply Chain
UK - Developing greater collaboration between vets and the broader pig supply chain will be a key focus for Mike Wijnberg, the new president of the UK’s Pig Veterinary Society (PVS).

UK Abattoirs Pledge to Clean Up Transportation
UK - Abattoirs have pledged to introduce a clear line of communication to ensure that lorry washing facilities are adequate for effective biosecurity.

Pig Welfare Remains a Big Issue
UK - Welfare will continue to be a big issue in the pig industry and genetic selection for improved efficiency and ethics are not necessarily antagonistic to ethical production.

Protests Continue over Pig Farm Plans
UK - Animal rights group Viva staged a protest outside the proposed site for a large-scale pig farm in Derbyshire this week.

NFU: Success Depends on Board Members
UK - The NFU has today responded to Defra’s announcement on the creation of a new animal health and welfare board.

Responsibility for Animal Health, Welfare Policy
UK - People affected by Government policy on animal health and welfare will for the first time make recommendations on those policies directly to Ministers, Agriculture Minister Jim Paice announced ye...

Animal Welfare Award for SAC Researcher, Colleague
SCOTLAND, UK - SAC animal welfare researcher, Dr Malcolm Mitchell, and his long-time research partner, Peter Kettlewell, are the joint recipients of an award recognising the significant impact their work...

FAWC Recommends New Pig Housing Systems
UK - The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) launched its Opinion on mutilations and environmental enrichment in piglets and growing pigs last month.

Doubts Over Partial Stalls Ban
UK - If any European Union country has difficulty complying with the January 2013 partial stalls ban, then the British pig industry should press for imports of pigmeat from that country to be banned, it...

On-line Welfare Training Courses Launched
UK - rl consulting, based in Oxfordshire, UK, has launched a series of inter-active, high quality on-line training courses under the name - 'Fundamentals'.

NFUS Proposes Measures to Support Pigs Sector
SCOTLAND, UK - NFU Scotland has proposed a package of measures to ease the severe pressure on the nation’s pig sector caused by imports of cheaper, lower welfare pigmeat from continental Europe and the...

ACMC Tip: Go Check the Flow
UK - The long cold spell has loosened rust and scale from inside water pipes on many pig units. It is therefore important to check all water drinkers are giving the correct flow for the class of stock...

Animal Health and Welfare Budgets Devolved
UK - England, Scotland and Wales will get their own budgets to prevent and tackle animal diseases, and look after animal welfare, UK Agriculture Minister Jim Paice announced yesterday.

Rallying Round the Pig Industry at Downing Street
SCOTLAND, UK - Scottish pig farmers were at a national rally at Downing Street in London yesterday (Thursday, 3 March) to explain to politicians, retailers and the public that the combination of rocketing...

Retail Profit - Producer Loss!
UK - Retailers and processors are making serious profits from pork and pork products, while at the same time pig farmers are facing crippling and unsustainable losses.

UK Attacked for Not Backing Organic
UK - The Soil Association, the UK's organic farming body, has called on the British government to wake up to what Europe can teach the UK about backing organic food and farming.

Pigs - Because They're Worth It
UK - Pig farmers are urging consumers to look for the Red Tractor logo and to make sure they put high welfare British pork on their fork.

Pig Producers Pile on the Pressure
SCOTLAND, UK - NFU Scotland has met with a leading pig industry official to ensure current efforts to improve the prospects for all pig producers are well co-ordinated.

ASDA Demonstrates Support for Pig Producers
UK - The NPA is pleased to see Asda leading the way in addressing the current pig farmer profitability crisis and welcomes the additional 8p/kg for Asda Pork Link members .

UFAW Symposium to Improve Animal Welfare
UK - An international symposium has been arranged to focus on economic and other incentives and constraints to improving animal welfare.

Real Welfare Indicators for Pigs
UK - Producers will soon have a way of demonstrating real pig welfare using science-based assessment methods.

RSPCA Urges Cooks to 'Think Pig' This Christmas
UK - Pigs in blankets, honey glazed ham, roast pork, cocktail sausage rolls – all Christmas favourites, but how many of us spare a thought for the pigs during the festive season?