22 March, 2012
Pig farmers in the UK
could benefit from a change in European Union (EU) regulations
relating to sow stalls, a senior representative from the National
Pig Association (NPA) has claimed.
According to Farmers Weekly, director Stewart Houston told
guests at a British Breakfast for MEPs in Brussels that UK farmers
could be in for an increase in profitability as other nations
struggle to comply with a ban on sow stalls.
In his opinion, there has been an oversupply of pork products in
recent years, but fewer than ten EU member states look ready for
the rule change, so compliant supplies may be cut dramatically when
the legislation comes in next January.
Mr Houston stressed the importance of retailers only sourcing
compliant meat, saying: "For the first time we are confident UK
retailers will comply and run with us on this. They have all got a
reputation at stake and retailers - and also branded products -
know that they can be named and shamed if they are not
compliant."
ThePigSite.com reported that the European
Commission (EC) is ready to launch infringement proceedings against
any pig farms that do not comply with the new regulations, although
a representative from the EC's health and consumer department
highlighted the complexity of such procedures. Laurence Bonafos
suggested that it could take up to two years for infringement cases
to go through, but stressed that the organisation will be doing all
it can to make sure countries comply.
Source: Vertical Leap
