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Farming Today: 11/02/22 Emergency pig summit; Livestock market protests

11/02/22 Emergency pig summit; Livestock market protests

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 11/02/22 Emergency pig summit; Livestock market protests

An emergency summit to fix the crisis in the pig industry. Vegans picket livestock market.

Farmers stage a protest as an emergency summit tries to fix the dysfunctional UK pork supply chain. One of East Anglia's only livestock markets is targeted by vegan activists.

Pig farmers have been meeting with the government, retailers and pig processors at an emergency summit in London to try and find a way forward through the current supply chain crisis. A shortage of labour in abattoirs has led to healthy animals being culled and not entering the food chain, and a huge backlog of pigs stuck on farms. Farmers are struggling with financial, logistical and animal welfare problems.  Farmers in York protested outside the DEFRA headquarters there, they say they're at breaking point. The National Pig Association believes a lack of skilled labour is the main problem. Farming minister Victoria Prentis says she's working hard with producers, processors and retailers to fix the supply chain. 

Vegan activists have been picketing one of East Anglia's only livestock markets. Farmers say the fortnightly protests are intimidating, but campaigners say they're not breaking the law and are there to promote animal welfare.

Presenter = Caz Graham
Producer = Rebecca Rooney

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