To raise the awareness of how British pig producers are facing increasing pressures due to rising costs - and how this may force many out of business, the National Pig Association last week released a top ten list of facts, some of which can help shoppers support the industry.
This story joins our dairy farmers who are of course also under threat.
1. Bacon is Britain’s favourite According to the British Top 100 Foods Index compiled by Food Network UK, bacon is Britain’s favourite food.
2. The future of British bacon is under threat this summer Harvest failure around the world has made pig-feed so expensive that more British pig-farmers are quitting every week because of mounting losses.
3. Shoppers can save delicious British bacon for future generations If all shoppers make a special effort to choose bacon with the independent British Red Tractor logo they will push up demand and retailers will have to pay farmers a price that covers their costs of production.
4. Why British bacon is the best in the world British pig farmers are acknowledged world leaders in higher welfare pig husbandry — and meat scientists are clear that happier, stress-free pigs make better bacon.
5. Britain is only 25 percent self-sufficient in bacon Most shops and supermarkets sell mainly imported bacon which is usually produced on more intensive farms and is cheaper — sometimes they package it to make it look like British bacon.
6. Farmers who produce British bacon do not receive subsidies Unlike most farmers, British pig farmers do not receive European Union agricultural subsidies for their pig enterprises.
7. Britain’s pig farms are on a knife-edge Pig farming is a difficult way to make a living. It takes eight months to produce a bacon pig, and another six months for retail prices to reflect higher production costs — so pig farmers cannot respond instantly to changes in market conditions such as the current feed-cost crisis.
8. Shoppers reward supermarkets that support British farmers One retailer, which sells only British bacon, has seen its sales increase faster than any other retailer but some supermarkets don’t care where their supplies are coming from tomorrow... they are only interested in piling it high and selling it cheap today.
9. Supplies of cheap imported bacon will soon start to dwindle New European Union welfare rules come into force in January to force continental pig farmers up to the high welfare standards already used by British farmers.
10. Buying British Red Tractor bacon safeguards British sausages too Pork pies, sausages, Sunday roasts, chops, ham and spare-ribs all come from the same pigs as bacon... so when shoppers make a special effort to choose British Red Tractor bacon they are supporting the whole British higher-welfare pig industry.
The ESSG urges all consumers to buy British and support our hard-pressed farmers - we must not allow cheap, low-welfare imports to strangle our industry and must be prepared to pay a fair price for a good product. The upcoming Countryside Alliance Awards (opening on 3rd September) give the perfect platform for consumers to praise their producers, farm shops and butchers and help us highlight the excellence of British farming.