Farmers’ lobbies call on for urgent summit to address labour and supply chain crisis

Farmers’ lobbies have once again called on the government to address labour and supply-chain concerns after reports emerged that breeders were forced into a massive cull caused by a shortage of labour in abattoirs.

National Farmers’ Union president, Minette Batters, and the National Pig Association chairman, Rob Mutimer, have written a joint letter to the environment, food and rural affairs secretary, George Eustice, calling for an urgent summit to address labour and supply-chain concerns.

They say measures introduced to support the industry have so far delivered “minimal benefit” to pig producers.

“The NPA and NFU are asking that you urgently arrange a summit of the entire pig supply chain so that we can agree a plan to get these pigs off farms and onto people’s plates,” said the letter.

The NPA warns that not enough pigs are being processed, with around a third of pigs ready for slaughter not being taken each week. 

The call comes as the cull of healthy pigs on farms continues, with an estimated 35,000 animals killed since September, according to the NPA, although unreported cases mean the actual number is likely to be higher.

Since the crisis hit last year, approximately 30,000 sows have been removed from the national herd, they said. About 40 independent farms have left the industry, claimed the associations.

The industry said the situation has deteriorated despite the government’s package of support measures announced in the autumn which included permitting foreign butchers to enter the UK on temporary visas, longer working hours at processing plants and a scheme allowing producers to store pig carcasses for several months before processing.

The organisations are calling on Eustice to simplify the visa application process. The NPA said it is only aware of 105 butchers who have travelled to Britain or are due to arrive, representing just 13 per cent of the 800 visas allocated by the government.

Farmers are facing soaring costs for feed, leading to losses of about £25 per pig for almost a year. Some producers are removing breeding sows from their herds, while others are leaving the sector altogether.

“All of these factors are taking a huge toll on farmers’ mental health as the crisis worsens every week,” the letter to Eustice states, “especially for those having to endure the trauma of culling healthy animals when there seems to be no end in sight.”