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.

"The question of the cost of registration and renewal bears as heavily on our industry as it does the poultry industry," he said.

The pig sector would not be taking part in the poultry sector's organised protest over IPPC costs, because its circumstances were different... "but I did not want the absence of a protest from us to lead you to believe we have no concerns."

At a recent meeting with Ian Pearson, and again at the Defra chief executive officers conference, Stewart Houston proposed the concept of a 'pig industry environment strategy' which would embrace the myriad environmental legislation confronting the industry.

"This would take us out of the 'silo' mentality both industry and the Environment Agency have endured and allow us to design a strategy that was environmentally right for citizens and affordable to industry," he said in his letter to ministers.

" As an industry we have a good track record in designing strategies with a bottom-up approach combined with government partnership, for instance health and welfare, training, research and developement, Zoonoses Action Plan etc.

"Support for the concept is growing and our workshop approach to the other strategies will be replicated to deliver the Pig Industry Environment Strategy over coming months. I know we will be able to rely on your support."

ThePigSite News Desk