Memorandum submitted by Fred Henley (Pigs
17)
I could list many reasons why the pig industry
is in crisis but all I want to say is that the same is likely
to happen to all primary food producers unless everyone (government,
retailers, caterers, the consumer and everyone who is involved
with food production) recognizes that it takes a long time for
the farmer to produce food, but then only a short time before
it is processed and eaten and very important it is almost impossible
for farmers to forecast how much will actually be produced.
I believe a "free market" for food
long term will lead to feasts and famines with ex-farm prices
fluctuating violently totally independent of production cost.
In the future in order to have enough food some
way must be found to give farmers the confidence to produce food
profitably. Talking to other pig farmers recently their view is
that their businesses are now a big gamble with luck being more
important than being good at farming pigs.
I'll give you my list not in order of importance
as to why there is a pig industry crisis and why there are no
pigs on my farm now:
1. Too few buyers, in reality the supermarkets
are in control.
2. Unilateral welfare rules with no provision
to cover the extra costs.
3. Rules and regulations, again no provision
to cover extra costs.
4. Uncertainty about more rules, restrictions
and paperwork.
5. The general attitude "we can always
import food."
6. There is no way of setting pig price
to reflect production cost.
I could probably go on but if there was a profit
to provide an income for me and be able to reinvest then I would
probably like others I know farm pigs again but at present my
confidence has gone.
September 2008
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