Self-set Weekly Price System Stuck in the Mire
UK - Like Oliver Twist, the processors will soon have to ask the retailers for more if the already fragile health of the United Kingdom pig industry is to be maintained and hopefully improved, write Peter...

Good News, Bad News
UK - Producers have seen an improvement in weekly contract prices from several leading processors but weaner prices remain below production costs, writes Peter Crichton in his latest Traffic Lights...

UK & Brazil Call for Action on Food Prices
UK - The UK and Brazil have called on members of the G20 to take action to tackle food price volatility, in the face of food price inflation and long-term food security challenges.

No April Foolery Here...
UK - Yes Yes Yes spot prices will be up again next week and no, those people who were looking for quotes in the 145p region were not April Fools after all, writes Peter Crichton in his latest Traffic...

UFU Awaits Results of Pig Industry Review
NORTHERN IRELAND, UK - The Ulster Farmers’ Union is eagerly awaiting the results of a pig industry review compiled by Cogent Management Consultants.

British Pig Industry Does Have a Future
UK - Demand for pig meat globally is set to grow in the coming years and the UK is well-placed to take advantage if it.

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...

Contract Follows Spot Up
UK - Something of a two-tier market is developing with contract prices following spot rather than the other way round which was previously the case, writes Peter Crichton.

UK Slaughter Statistics - March 2011
UK - The latest National Statistics produced by Defra on UK slaughterings of cattle, sheep and pigs were released yesterday, 24 March 2011, according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics ...

Pig Producer Confidence at All-Time Low
UK - Not unsurprisingly, pig producer confidence is at an all time low even compared with the dark days of 2008.

Pig Prices Climb Up
UK - As predicted we now seem to have finally turned one of the many corners in the price corridor and after some reluctance spot and contract buyers found they had to pay more money to secure a dwindling...

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...

BPEX Helps Control Cost of Raw Material
UK - Feed cost is by far the most important factor in pig cost of production and in the volatile global commodity market it is important that businesses take steps to minimise those risks.

Scottish Census Reveals Increase in Livestock
SCOTLAND, UK - Scotland's Chief Statistician today published Results from the 2010 December Agricultural Survey, covering winter sown crops, hay and silage production, livestock, labour and machinery....

Better Prices are Coming... but We're Still Waiting
UK - Although almost everyone is predicting that pig prices will rise, it is more of a question of when rather than if.

UK Feed Production 4.4 Per Cent Lower in January
UK - Feed production in January 2011 was four per cent lower than in the same month of 2010, according to the GB Animal Feed Statistical Notice.

Cheap Imports Drive Pig Meat Sales
UK - 10 March 2011 Volume sale of pork are soaring but those extra sales are being driven by cheap imported product says BPEX Head of Marketing Chris Lamb.

Outlook Conference Turns to CAP Reform
UK - With reform of the Common Agricultural Policy in the melting pot along with environmental concerns, this year's Outlook Conference takes on even greater importance.

New Welsh Red Meat Levy Rates
UK - New statutory levy rates for the Welsh red meat industry will be introduced next month. The Minister for Rural Affairs, Elin Jones AM has approved the new rates following a nine week consultation...

A Few More Green Shoots
UK - With spring approaching a few more green shoots are starting to reappear as far as pig prices are concerned, but there is still a long way to go before we have anything that resembles a sustainable...

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.

Pig Farmers Do Have Retailers' Support
UK - Retailers are supporting British pig farmers while keeping prices down for customers.

Pig Herd Sees Some Stablility
UK - Latest census figures show the total number of pigs in England has fallen slightly but the breeding herd has remained unchanged.

New Online MTF Calculator Adds Focus on Profit
UK - A unique Meat per Tonne of Feed (MTF) Calculator, revealing how much it costs pig farmers to produce a kg of saleable meat, has been launched on JSR’s new-look website.

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.

Scottish Pig Producers to Rally at Downing Street
SCOTLAND, UK - Scottish pig farmers are to join a national rally at Downing Street this week (Thursday, 3 March) to highlight to politicians, retailers and the public that rocketing costs and poor prices...

Sign Our Sausage Rally
UK - Hundreds of British pig farmers are expected to descend on Downing Street in London this week to bring attention to the "huge losses" they are making.

Buying Denny Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Buying Local
NORTHERN IRELAND, UK - The Ulster Farmers’ Union has called on Denny to ensure that the pigmeat in their branded produce in Northern Ireland is sourced locally.

Small Increase in Demand Could Spark Price Rises
UK - Finally the pendulum is starting to swing (but very slowly) in the producers' favour with reports of some slight increases in spot pig prices coupled with a modest reduction in the cost of feed wheat,...