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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.

Last year Genesis Quality Assurance served High Court papers seeking around 3100,000 from Assured British Pigs. It accused Assured British Pigs of restricting competition for four months, causing revenue losses.

Genesis is a competing supplier of schemes entitled to carry the Little Red Tractor, and the British Meat Quality Standard Mark.

In today's statement the two companies say they have worked hard to achieve a settlement out of court. They decline to give details of the settlement but say it is of benefit to the viability of the pig industry and future success of farm assurance that the issue has been amicably settled.

The Genesis scheme will continue in competition with licensed certifiers of the Assured British Pigs scheme (CMi Certification, Efsis and PAI).

Assured British Pigs will proceed with plans to hand its pigs scheme to Assured Foods Standards, which manages the Red Tractor schemes.

Richard Campbell, chairman of ABP, said, "A greater understanding between the two parties has meant that this matter has been able to be settled before it got to court. Unnecessary damage to the pig industry has been avoided and ABP is clear to participate fully in the next stage of development of the Red Tractor logo."

Martin Barker, Genesis's managing director, said, "Now that this has been resolved we can concentrate on offering greater benefits and improved delivery of assurance to our membership outside of the AFS umbrella, whilst still offering access to the Red Tractor logo."

Source: National Pig Association - 3rd March 2004