Pig

MORE than 40 per cent of the English pig breeding herd is kept outdoors, but finding sufficient suitable land can be a challenge, so how can producers address this?

Flo Giles, 27, is a pig farmer’s daughter from Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire, and works for livestock trading company Meadow Quality. She recently represented Warwickshire Young Farmers Club (YFC) at this year’s NFU conference.

The annual barometer of native livestock breed numbers, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust’s watchlist, has been released.But what could some of these breeds could offer UK agriculture in the future?

Suffolk-based Dingley Dell pork brand was founded out of frustration with the industry’s lack of control and customer loyalty. Clemmie Gleeson meets the company’s Mark Hayward.

A new system of virtual farm inspections developed by Red Tractor to uphold standards during the coronavirus lockdown could change the way auditing takes place after the pandemic is over.

Wheat prices have stabilised a little since the middle of March when the full scale of coronavirus hit countries across the world, but the general trend remains upwards amid global stockpiling European weather fears.

The spring of 2020 was expected to be a busy time for the pig sector, with so many anticipated changes coming in the form of new legislation, and welfare and environmental issues going up the wider agenda, says Edward Barker, senior policy advisor at the National Pig Association (NPA).

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has announced changes to the way certain animal medicines can be safely prescribed and supplied during the coronavirus crisis.

Following a mild and wet winter, farmers are being advised to tackle rats in spring to avoid potential infestations this autumn.

What was supposed to be a retirement hobby for Geoff Bemand has now turned into a crusade to protect the future of his beloved Welsh pigs. Hannah Noble reports.