BPEX Weekly: November 20 2009

Marketing News

Glorious Gammon Alert

Starting this week we will be sending out an email alert to some 450 journos with a ‘Gammon recipe of the Week’ focusing on the new recipes from the Glorious Gammon booklet and our library of Gammon recipes.  Try one yourself http://www.lovepork.co.uk/assets/pdf/glorious-gammon.pdf

And next week (24th) the Gammon campaign is officially launched when Anthea Turner, the celebrity sponsor for the campaign, is interviewed on a variety of regional radio stations about the usage of Gammon over the Christmas festivities.  For a step by step guide to how to cook the perfect gammon, go to www.lovepork.co.uk  and download your own copy (available from 24th).

Coming up:

From December 7 all the ingredients required for a tasty Gammon sandwich including the bread and a relish, will be delivered to top london radio station DJs to help raise awareness of the campaign.

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Ever one for hiding his light under a bushel, Keith Fisher, BPEX Butchery Development Manager, has been closely involved in the new BBC programme Young Butcher of the Year, which has just been transmitted.

Special thanks were passed on to him by an assistant producer for the huge contribution he made.

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If you fancy supporting Curry Week in your own kitchen cook up a spicy storm with these tasty recipes from Lovepork.co.uk.

Sausage Biryani

Thai Green Broth

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Sausage Week Success

The Food Report has revealed a significant rise in the number of pubs latching onto big national events and using them as marketing tools to lever extra sales – suggesting that most licensees are well aware of the need to use other mechanics to lift their food business.  Click here for more info.

Other interesting examples of press and media coverage to date include:

One of the regional winners from Cheshire was videoed by the local TV station and then posted onto YouTube.

Press coverage highlighting the support of farm shops, click here.

Bonkers for Bangers – Leeds Pub Challenge, click here for more.

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Stick to a Winner

As a result of the British Sausage Week product competition the National Finalists – Tesco, with their Finest* 6 British Pork and Spiced Apricot Sausages and Marks and Spencer with their British Outdoor Bred Chorizo Sausages – will be putting stickers on their winning products with Gold and Silver Awards.

So over the next few weeks look out in-store for these truly tasty sausages.

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Knowledge Transfer

Tip of the Week: Christmas Market

Despite Christmas being an annual occurrence, pig producers fail to engage with their marketing groups about managing the market around this period every year. This year two Fridays are affected and there will be a longer break than usual at the abattoirs – by Monday 4th January there could be a lot of overweight pigs around. Now is the time to start formulating a strategy for coping with Christmas.

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As part of the England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative (ECSFDI) livestock farmers within the Lincolnshire Coast Rivers Catchment Sensitive Farming Area (east of Louth from North Somercotes to Boston) are being offered free, confidential soil and slurry/manure sampling visits which will take place at their convenience. These visits will aim to ensure that each farm is making the best use of their soil and nutrients, as well as identify any money making or money saving options. The sampling will be followed by a full confidential report and follow up visit to discuss any further help or advice which may be needed.

To arrange a free visit or for more information please contact Leanne Taylor on 0300 060 4727 or 07795 801262, or email on [email protected].

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The Campaign for the Farmed Environment website is now live (www.cfeonline.org.uk). But what is the Campaign for the Farmed Environment? Farmers care for the land they farm and know that a healthy environment is essential for sustainable farming. In order to retain and exceed the environmental benefits that used to be provided by set aside, all the leading farming organisations are now working together to encourage farmers and land managers to voluntarily adopt important land management practices that will benefit the environment.

If you have any suggestions for additional content or useful links please email [email protected]. The website also features a newsletter subscription facility to keep farmers, advisers and organisations fully informed about the Campaign as it develops.

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The first 11 managers are ready and waiting to take their place on the BPEX Professional Managers Development Scheme 2010. The successful candidates will begin the new 18-month course in January. All 14 applicants interviewed impressed the selection panel with their enthusiasm and varied range of experience.

What shone through from the 11 successful candidates was their ambition to develop in their role and progress their career within their business.

John Dunning, 29, is one of the successful applicants looking forward to getting started. He said: “It will be great to meet other pig producers from around the country that I would not normally have the chance to do – I think we will learn a lot from each other.

“Continuous professional development is very important to me and this scheme is just right for me to progress to the next level in my role so that I can contribute even more to the business. Learning about staff management and planning change will be particularly useful.”

On successful completion of the course, managers will gain a nationally recognised qualification from the Institute of Leadership and Management.

Selected candidates are: Paul Hume, East Anglian Pigs Ltd, Norfolk; Helen Hooks, East Anglian Pigs Ltd, Norfolk; Lizzie Press, BQP, Suffolk; Steve Newing, Blanchard Enterprises, Oxon; Ewan Saile, S J Watchorn, Suffolk; John Dunning, A F Freemantle & Son, Devon; Philip Harman, Yorkwold, Yorkshire; Kate Ashman, New Barn Farm, Berks; Andrew Palmer, Dent Ltd, Lincs; Trevor Digby, Midland Pig Production, Staffs; David Childerhouse, T&D Childerhouse, Suffolk.

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The popular Leadership Development Group is now open for 2010 applications.  This course is aimed at people either aiming to move to a supervisory role, or already in such a role, looking to develop their leadership skills. It is an excellent course that has been developed and run by JSR for the past 17 years, with over100 delegates successfully completing the programme so far.

The LDG programme runs over a period of 12 months and consists of a number of modules that focus on personal development, whilst at the same time exposing delegates to leadership skills. Part one of the programme takes place in Cumbria and the remaining parts are run at the JSR offices in Southburn, Yorkshire.

Part 1 – Outdoor Development Programme

Part 2 – Leading Teams Safely and Effectively

Part 3 – Planning and Organising Work

Part 4 – Communication and Presenting Ideas

Part 5 – Managing Customers and Projects

If this course is of interest to you please contact Tim Rymer or Linda Woodall on 01377 227755 for further information. The course will start in January 2010 and does not require an interview to gain a place, but there are limited places so please contact Tim or Linda rapidly if you are interested.

This course is eligible for funding through the RDPE programme. Depending on the region you work in, you will be eligible for a minimum of 65% support and a maximum of 80%.

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There is an update meeting next Tuesday 24th November for Lincolnshire pig farmers operating under IPPC (now known as EPR).  Nigel Penlington of BPEX will lead the workshop, explaining the latest position and what’s involved in IPPC and offering advice on any issues producers have.  All pig unit staff are invited and the format is flexible to allow you to ask questions and improve your understanding.

Session 1: What is involved and the latest position

Primarily for stock workers and new members of staff to develop their understanding of IPPC and what it involves. Time: 14.30, finishing at approximately 16.30, including tea & biscuits

Session 2: Understanding and update, any issues you have.

For owners and managers responsible for implementing IPPC.

Time: Hot buffet provided at 18.00 for an 18.30 prompt start, finishing at approximately 20.30.

Venue: Uncle Henrys, Grayingham Grange, Grayingham, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, DN21 4JD

To register and help plan catering please contact Nigel Penlington:

024 7647 8797 or e-mail [email protected]

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National News:

Cranswick Profits Up

Cranswick Plc posted a 22 percent rise in first-half pretax profit from continuing operations, helped by higher sales to grocery retailers and European discounters, and said it remained optimistic about its future.

The company, which supplies fresh pork and gourmet sausages to the UK’s food retail and manufacturing sectors, also boosted its interim dividend to 8 pence from 7 pence.

In the six months ended Sept. 30, Cranswick earned £21.3m, compared with £17.5m in the year-ago period. Revenue rose 19 percent to 355.6 million pounds.

Cranswick said the market for premium sausage products was on the rise as cash-strapped consumers continued to eat at home.

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Onset of oestrous following weaning of gilts and sows is normally expected within 7 days and if it occurs during this time the fertility following service is maximised.

The principle physiological trigger for oestrus onset is a rise in blood sugar levels, following the cessation of lactation and a spike of insulin like-compounds that are released in response. These hormones act as the primary stimulus to the brain to release the reproductive hormones that are associated with oestrus.

Weaned gilts that have lost excess condition during lactation may lack this trigger and therefore show delayed or even non-existent oestrus. This can be assisted in all weaned sows but particularly first parity animals by providing a single ‘dose’ of glucose (as Dextrose monohydrate) to each animal 24 hours after weaning, 250gm in a single feed ‘top dressed’ onto the main feed should suffice.

Where sows are fed from an ad lib hopper after weaning – which is common practice – some invention is required to be able to provide this one off supplement.

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Latest BPHS Dates

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Sir Paul McCartney has been accused of undermining climate change talks with his ‘meat-free Monday’ campaign.

The Beatles legend will take his controversial campaign to Brussels in a fortnight.

Nick Herbert, the shadow environment secretary, said Sir Paul’s actions could undermine the climate change movement for his own ‘political agenda’.

“A global deal to combat dangerous climate change at UN talks in Copenhagen next month is critical,” said Mr Herbert. “That means guarding against demands for behavioural changes so unrealistic that they risk undermining public support.

“We need to think a little harder about what will really work to arrest global warming,” he said, adding some activists were “less interested in serious debate than in pulling their hair shirts on to the rest of us”.

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The future challenges faced by the agricultural industry are to be addressed at an event to be held on 10 December at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry.

The Future of Farming event, organised by Lantra Sector Skills Council for environmental and land-based industries, will hold a wide-ranging debate based around a major UK strategy that is being planned on the skills needed for a successful agricultural industry.

The Agriskills Strategy, spearheaded by the Agriskills Forum and involving the industry’s most influential players, aims to ensure that there is a profitable and sustainable agricultural industry for the 21st Century, delivered by a professional and skilled workforce.

The driving force behind the Agriskills Strategy is Yorkshire pig farmer Richard Longthorp, the national chairman of the Agriskills Forum, together with Lantra, the National Farmers Union, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, Landex and key employers from industry. The Agriskills initiative is currently being discussed at the highest level with Defra, the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

For more information call 0845 707 8007 or email [email protected] alternatively visit www.lantra.co.uk.

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Acura Foods/ Graystones are slaughtering sows at the Roos abattoir in East Yorkshire specifically for export and are looking for more stock.

For all enquiries please call Steve Graystone tel: 01964 670992 or David Eaton tel: 01438 745242 -fax: 01438 720948, -email: [email protected]

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Attention all sausage makers. A large catering wholesaler is in search of sausage-makers across the UK to supply them with sausages to be served at local sporting and cultural venues. They are particularly looking for farmer producers in the South West, West Midlands, Yorkshire & Humber, North East and North West. Please e-mail me your details. [email protected]

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AHDB has launched a six week consultation on the corporate plan which comprises the business plans of the six sectors including BPEX. For more information click here.

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Farm Income Estimates

The first estimates of UK Total Income from Farming for 2009 and 2010 have recently been released. These estimates have been produced using available information to date. A revised estimate will be published in January 2010.

To see a commentary on the report by Tony Fowler of BPEX, click here.

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International News:

Export Report Latest

As of next June it will be mandatory for piglets to be given pain easing remedies in connection with castration. A new product has just been introduced on the Danish market.
A pig can be sent to slaughter after just five days.

To see the complete Export Report, click here.

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The European Commission is taking six Member States to the European Court of Justice for failing to issue new or updated permits for more than 1,500 industrial installations operating there. The six are Denmark, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain. The Commission is also sending first written warnings to Austria, France and Sweden over a further 1,700 installations operating without permits. In all cases the permits should have been issued by 30 October 2007.

European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said: "This is unacceptable and the Commission will take action to ensure that Member States comply with their obligations under industrial emissions legislation.”

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The three-day World Summit on Food Security organised by the FAO ended yesterday after committing the international community to investing more in agriculture and to eradicating hunger at the earliest date.

Here are the main commitments produced at the Summit:

• A firm pledge to renew efforts to achieve the First Millennium Development Goal of halving hunger by 2015, and eradicating hunger from the world at the earliest date.
• A pledge to improve international coordination and the governance of food security through a profound reform of FAO’s Committee on World Food Security (CFS) which would become a central component of the Global Partnership for Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition.
• Broadened to include stakeholders from both the public and private sector and non-governmental organizations, and elevated to ministerial level, the CFS would coordinate international efforts against hunger as well as take rapid and informed decisions on global food issues. It will be assisted in that task by an international high-level panel of experts.
• A promise to reverse the downward trend in domestic and international funding for agriculture, food security and rural development in developing countries and significantly increase their share in public development aid.
• A decision to promote new investments in agricultural production and productivity in developing countries in order to reduce poverty and achieve food security for all.

The full declaration is available by clicking here.

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EU IPPC Action

The European Commission intends to take legal action against nine Member States over missing IPPC permits. The table shows shows the scale of the problem in some Member States (note the latest statistics range from April 08 – Oct 07 – so things may well have moved on). The table shows the total outstanding permits over the total number of installations which qualify for IPPC. Very roughly Spain, Greece and Portugal each have big jobs to sort out re-permitting for pig and poultry farmers.

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For the latest international prices, click here.

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