This is of course an issue facing all sectors of the farming industry with the average age of farmers being nearly 60 years (from a recent Farmers Weekly poll).
There can be big differences between family farms and farm businesses, who
often have more sophisticated succession plans. However BPEX does everything it
can to encourage and motivate all staff, including owners, to engage with
continued professional development and we have recently set up our Professional
Managers Development Scheme which runs over 18 months and is about training the
next generation of managers.
Currently the pig industry faces a feed cost crisis so many people will be
focusing on the future and their roles in the pig industry. This is often a time
when some producers may leave, based on unsustainable losses potentially leading
to a fall in the UK sow herd or consolidation of the big pork producers.
You can find out more about the many training related activities and
initiatives that BPEX is involved with here: http://www.bpex.org.uk/2TS/training/resources.aspx