NPA to call for pig sector support package in meeting with Defra minister

The NPA will call for a pig industry support package in a meeting with new Defra food security minister Stephen Morgan on Wednesday.

The meeting with the minister follows hot on the heels of an announcement by the Scottish government of a £2m support package for the Scottish pig sector.

The NPA requested a meeting with Defra minister Dame Angela Eagle at the end of May before she left the post in a ministerial reshuffle. After he took on the role, Mr Morgan initially agreed to meet the NPA in September, but the meeting has been brought forward after he became aware of the dire situation facing UK pig producers, which was raised by a number of MPs in the House of Commons last week.

Pig producers have faced months of falling prices, driven by a supply-demand imbalance and low EU prices, alongside rising costs.

This has been compounded by a wave of cuts on contracted pig numbers from independent pig producers by all the big pork processors. According to the latest NPA Pig Industry Group meeting, at least 10,000 pigs per week could be coming onto the market without an outlet when current contracts start to expire in the autumn. This has left many independent pig producers facing extremely uncertain futures.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, NPA chief executive Lizzie Wilson said: “We are pleased this meeting has been brought forward in a clear recognition of the extremely precarious position the UK pig sector finds itself in – and the need to find urgent solutions.

“The Scottish government has acted quickly and worked with the industry to provide support for its pig farmers. We will use our meeting with the minister to press for a support package from Defra to ease the immense pressure on pig producers in England.

“If solutions aren’t found quickly, an incredibly difficult situation now could deteriorate further in the autumn, with an irreversible long-term impact for our independent pig sector.”

MPs highlight pig sector problems

A number of MPs highlighted the situation facing the pig sector during Defra questions in the House of Commons on Thursday, with some citing NPA commentary on the situation.

Responding, Mr Morgan said he ‘recognised the challenges that pig farmers are facing’. “This Government are taking action to strengthen protections for pig farmers, particularly where there are severe losses and disruption, as the sector has been facing in recent years. We will ensure fairer, more transparent contracts to build a resilient and profitable industry,” he said.

He said the Fair Dealing Obligations (Pigs) Regulations 2025 ‘will give farmers greater certainty, transparency and confidence to invest, grow their businesses, and strengthen the long-term resilience of the sector’.

He confirmed that he had accepted an invitation from the NPA to discuss the industry challenges ‘and will be meeting it shortly’.

Westminster Hall debate

The current turmoil facing the pig sector will again be debated in parliament today. Harriet Cross (Con, Gordon and Buchan) has secure an hour-long Westminster Hall debate on ‘Government support for pig farmers’.

The debate will take place this afternoon and the NPA has briefed MPs in advance.