Source:  John Strak, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 3/8/11

Hundreds of UK pig farmers have protested in London at the Prime Minister’s residence at 10 Downing Street, giving a live performance of their campaign anthem, "Stand by Your Ham," which generated worldwide publicity when released in 2009.

At the same time the British Pig Executive (BPEX) released a report which, it claims, shows a “shocking disparity between the profitability of UK pig producers and the rest of the chain.” BPEX is calling for a 20 percent increase in the average pig price (DAPP) to around $2.70/kg. The BPEX report reveals that UK pig producers lost $56 million in the 12 weeks to the end of January 2011. Conversely, processors made profits of an estimated $160 million and retailers are understood to have made $307 million in the same time frame.

"This was an SOS to supermarkets, processors, consumers and MPs," said Barney Kay of the National Pig Association (NPA). "UK animal welfare standards are among the highest in Europe. If British farmers cut pork production or go out of business, consumers will lose the choice to buy high-welfare, high-quality pork and could also face far higher prices in the long term as supply falls."

Richard Bacon MP, a long time supporter of pig farmers, said: "Pig farming makes a valuable contribution to rural economies up and down the UK, including in my own constituency. Supermarkets are not currently fulfilling previous commitments to stock higher levels of British pork."

In a press statement the NPA claimed that pig farmers won a temporary reprieve in 2008 when they faced a similar crisis. "The situation today is worse," Barney Kay said. "Feed prices look set to stay high for the foreseeable future. Most farmers are currently losing around $32 per pig produced, which is obviously disastrous. We need around another $0.48 per kilo to break even."

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