In the past, the judges have always been practical pig producers and their aim has been to identify the most useful new product on display. But for the first time, at this year’s event the judging will be carried out by the BPEX knowledge transfer team.

"There are two reasons for the change," said Digby Scott, one of the award organisers.

"Firstly, we have been getting too many entries in recent years for a small team of producers to judge comfortably in half a day.

"And, secondly, the BPEX knowledge transfer team gets onto a lot of farms over the course of the year and we expect them to have a very good idea of which new products at Pig Fair will prove most useful to practical pig-keepers."

Deadline for entries is 4 May 2012. The organisers will do their best to include any entries that arrive after this date, but no guarantee is given.

The Best New Product Award is organised by Pig World magazine in association with the Royal Agricultural Society of England and National Pig Association. All companies that are exhibiting new products of interest to professional pig-keepers are eligible to enter new products and services.

Entries may be made online by following the Best New Product Award on the Pig World website.