National Pig Association THE VOICE OF THE UK PIG INDUSTRY NPA is active on members' behalf in Brussels & White-hall, and with pro-cessors, supermarkets & caterers – fighting for the growth and pros-perity of the UK pig industry.

The Defra-funded benchmarking project was piloted last year and there are more than 200 participants. The Red Meat Industry Forum has a target of 2000 beef and sheep producers and 500 pig producers to be participating in the scheme by the end of 2005.

Andrew Charlton's role is to be on the road meeting as many producers, producer groups and allied industry groups as possible to maximise recruitment into the benchmarking scheme which is open to beef and lamb producers in England and pork producers in Great Britain.

He said: "I believe my experience will help me deal with farmers on a one to one basis as I am a producer myself and can see the potential benefits of benchmarking."

Source: National Pig Association - 13th September 2003