Knowledge Transfer

Tip of the week – Health and Safety
When did you last review the health and safety policy on your unit? Accidents, injuries and illness can ruin lives and businesses. Solutions are often simple and cheap and the people best placed to make farms safer are farmers and their employees. Check out the Health and Safety Executive’s ‘Farmwise’ booklet (this may take a few minutes to download if you are on dial-up) which provides practical advice and guidance to help reduce injuries and ill health.

Improving Reproductive Efficiency
BPEX are holding the above workshop at the Cedars Hotel, Stowmarket on 21st October. The workshop, being run by knowledge transfer managers Kayt Johnson and Angela Cliff, will look at the science behind weaning and the oestrus cycle, establishment of pregnancy and AI management, and will be followed by food and refreshments. The workshop starts at 19:30 and will close around 21:30. If you would like to attend, or require more information, contact Kayt on 07973 977 171 or email kt@bpex.org.uk.

DIY AI
BPEX would like to invite your DIY-AI technicians to this forthcoming workshop near Ripon. The main focus areas are to review best practice principles of boar management, collection and processing and practice basic laboratory techniques for semen assessment. The workshop is on 23rd October, starting at 17:30. To book your place contact Angela Cliff (01908 844744)

Demonstration Farm Grants
Funding is now available for establishing demonstration farms and activities surrounding them in the Yorkshire and Humberside region. The purpose is to develop demonstration farms as the focus of skills development in a sector. If you are interested email: LandSkills@lantra.co.uk

Marketing News

Save Money With Love Pork
A day of radio interviews with Clare Greenstreet, BPEX Home Economist and Jasmine Birtles, Financial Expert, informed consumers how they could make their family meals go further.  Plus highlighting which cuts offer the best value when compared to all the other proteins available.  Listen to some of the regional radio interviews and see a live web chat with them on http://www.lovepork.co.uk/SavewithPork.asp.

Plus a variety of downloads featuring cooking tips from Clare and money saving tips from Jasmine.are also available from the website

Exeter Butchers Roadshow
The second of the seven events is to take place next week at the Sandy Park Stadium, Sandy Park Conference Centre, Exeter, Devon.  Product categories include; bacon, gammon, sausages, hot or cold pies, ready meals, meatballs & faggots.  There will be eleven exhibitors ranging from suppliers of spice ingredients to packaging & scales and a wholesale meat supplier. Any independent retailer or farm shop wishing to enter their pork products for evaluation can do so by downloading an entry form by clicking here or ring 01908 844107 to get one sent or faxed to you.

British Sausage Week Latest
Over 5,000 English independent retailers will be receiving their Sausage Week promotional kits next week, featuring a recipe poster, sets of recipe cards and stickers, with the option to order more merchandise if required. If you don’t receive one or would like one please email enquiries@bpex.org.uk

Scots Back Sausage Week
In support of the week the (SFMTA) Scottish Federation of Meat Traders Assoc have also bought into the event, and so 450 members will also be receiving their promotional material next week.

Search For Family Favourite Meal
Don’t forget that Meatmatters.com (a consumer PR activity supported by BPEX) is running a competition to find the six of the best Family Favourite meals.  Looking for traditional and interesting recipes that invoke pleasant memories of family meals, the competition launched by Greg Wallace, of Master Chef fame is open until 1st November.  An online entry form is available at www.meatmatters.com.  The 6 winning recipes will ultimately be given a contemporary twist and be featured in a recipe booklet, to be published in early 2009.

National News:

Cabinet Reshuffle
In the cabinet reshuffle, with Hilary Benn remaining at Defra, the new appointees are:

• Minister of State - Jane Kennedy 
•  Minister of State - Lord Hunt 
•  Parliamentary Under Secretary of State - Huw Irranca-Davies MP

Lord Hunt replaces Lord Rooker and he also has responsibility for the Department of Energy and Climate Change and is Deputy Leader of the House of Lords

Nuffield Study Group
First-hand experience of just what it means to be a Nuffield Scholar was given at a Pig Study Group Meeting, held at the Farmers Club in London.

Some 24 scholars and potential scholars attended the event where speakers included, Chris Fogden and Wendy Houston, who gave an insight into their travels to Europe and North America while Heather Gorringe, Nuffield Scholar from Wiggly Wigglers, exploded the myth of ‘niche’ and ‘commodity’ marketing explaining the benefits of social media.

BPEX board member Richard Longthorp launched the new Merial/BPEX Nuffield Scholarship and BPEX Consumer Marketing Manager Chris Lamb gave an update on the hugely successful “British Pigs are Worth It” campaign and ideas for the campaign future.
For further information, please get in touch with Steve Ward on 07889 994993.

Annual Zoonoses Report
Defra has launched its 2007 Zoonoses Report which brings together data and information published from various sources throughout 2007 and draws on information from humans, food, feed and animals, providing comparable data from previous years.

It covers the major food and water-borne zoonoses (Campylobacter, Salmonella, Vero cytotoxin producing E. coli O157 (VTEC O157) and Cryptosporidium), and the main notifiable zoonotic diseases of animals including bovine tuberculosis, brucellosis, anthrax, rabies, West Nile Virus, BSE and Avian Influenza.

Key areas include:

• Campylobacter: In 2007 there was an increase of 10% on the number recorded in 2006, however the recorded figure of 55,590 still shows a general decline in the number of cases in humans.
• Salmonella: In 2007, 13,213 laboratory reports of Salmonella in humans were recorded in the UK, a decrease of 6.2% compared to the 14,060 confirmed cases in 2006.
• E. Coli VTEC O157: Human cases of VTEC O157 infection fell in the UK by 9.8% in 2007, compared with 2006. to see the full report click here.

Packaging Breakthrough
Last week ASDA achieved what they believe is a market first when they launched a new resealable and recyclable packaging for their Extra Special cooked meat range. The design, devised by ASDA and Parkam Foods, has reduced the overall weight of the packaging by 25% and will result in considerably less waste.

Avoid Performance Drop
Performance of the 2nd parity sow can be disappointing and badly affect the breeding herd performance average. This can lead to high return rates and subsequently early culling of young sows.

This will affect the profitability of a herd with a decrease in output and an increase in gilt expenses as well as influencing the general staff morale. BPEX is this autumn running a series of open workshops aimed at producers and stock people focusing on management of the 1st and 2nd parity sow with the team from ABN/ Primary Diets presenting the latest information on feeding strategies.  All meetings are PIPR registered. Workshops start at 6pm and finish at 8.30pm.

• Tuesday 18th November 2008, The Crown Hotel, Horsefair, Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire
  YO51 9LB
• Wednesday 19th November 2008 The Feathers Hotel., 56 Market Place, Pocklington East Riding Of Yorkshire, YO42 2AH
• Tueday 25th November The Croft Hotel, Croft On Tees, Darlington, North Yorkshire, DL2 2ST.

Refreshments will be provided. To register contact Lis Ravn: phone: 0789 165 6784; Email: lisbeth.ravn@bpex.org.uk

NADIS Latest – Swine Dysentery
Swine Dysentery is bacterial enteritis of growing pigs that continues to be a problem on specific pig farms. The classic signs of the disease are scour containing blood and mucous, loss of condition and death. However, in recent years milder strains of the bacteria have emerged and the disease can present as a non-specific looseness (very similar to that seen in grower scours or ileitis). Many herds are free of the causative organism, which is largely spread from farm to farm by pigs or by faecal transfer. Close attention to biosecurity measures is highly effective and necessary to keep this potentially devastating disease out.

International News:

US Hosts Chinese Pork Buyers
U.S. meat industry groups are hosting Chinese pork buyers on a Midwest tour in hopes of generating renewed interest in U.S. pork as China's import demand has waned recently after a strong first half. "The first half of this year showed us the fantastic market potential that China holds for U.S. pork, but current conditions show us that this is still a volatile and very price-sensitive market," said Donald Song, USMEF's senior representative for north China, in a news release announcing the tour.

EU Meat Overview
DG agri has just published its October 'monitoring agri-trade policy" which identifies the main changes undergone by world agricultural markets this year and the main trends for up to 2017 based on OECD projections.

It is expected that the meat sector as a whole will continue its long-term expansion (2.5%/year) mainly driven by population growth. It is foreseen that Brazil will be responsible for half of the growth with 30% of total meat exports by 2017. Over the projection period, prices are projected to grow moderately from 18-24% compared to last decade. To see the full report, click here.

Consumer Concern on Food Costs
A Center for Food Integrity survey showed consumers "very concerned" about food prices, eating out less and buying cheaper cuts of meat. The CFI survey of more than 2,000 consumers showed rising food costs, rising energy prices and the state of the U.S. economy were top of mind. Sixty percent of respondents said they are more concerned about food prices today than they were a year ago.

International Prices
Click here for the latest international prices

Bangers and Mash A Winner
City workers are eating 30% more 'comfort food' than in the same period last year with bangers and mash topping the charts. London restaurateur Herbert Berger, chef patron of City restaurant 1 Lombard Street - sited directly opposite the Bank of England - has compared current customer orders to those of 2007.