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

Mr Bacon wants it to be a legal requirement to show country of origin on packaging and menus.

Mr Tuck says he supports the Norfolk MP's bill (to be introduced under the ten minute rule next month) for the following reasons:

• It gives the consumer the choice - price or origin.

• It helps ensure that the big retailers and caterers stock a genuine range of products from different sources giving small producers a chance against large multinational suppliers.

• It forces the producers from each country to show the consumer they are conforming to all Health and Safety, traceability and HACCP controls complied with by the UK producers. If other countries have an advantage other than price it allows them to say so and encourages improvements in home production techniques.

• It will force all food producers from other countries to produce food to ever higher standards.

• It will halt the decline in UK production as improved production and traceability benefits can be advertised along side price.

• It will help ethnic minorities to know that their food is produced to their religious and cultural traditions.

Mr Tuck concludes his letter to Mr Bacon with the enigmatic exhortation to "Keep you a throshing".

Source: National Pig Association - 24th February 2004