A row has broken out between Asda and British pig farmers after 
Kantar Worldpanel data appeared to show the retailer’s support of UK product fell sharply in the run-up 
to Christmas.


Researchers will be looking at how diet, animal husbandry and new technologies can reduce the environmental impact of poultry production in the latest stage of a multi-partner industry project.

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has announced that Mike Whittemore has been appointed to the new position of trade team marketing manager for Eblex.

Farmers can reduce their carbon emissions by focusing on four key areas, according to the latest update to Eblex’s ongoing roadmap work.

The third publication in the roadmap series, Down to Earth, was launched in London yesterday (30 Jan). It includes sections on emissions benchmarking, carbon sequestration, waste in the supply chain, retailer activity and farmer case studies.

The average income on specialist pig farms in England is expected to fall by around 20% over the next year, a 2011-12 forecast from Defra has revealed.

Entrepreneur and star of TV’s Dragons’ Den Deborah Meaden has urged British farmers and meat producers to make high-welfare British rose veal more widely available, saying that British farmers are missing a trick in not promoting humanely-produced veal.

Eblex has appointed three new board members to replace David Raine, John Hoskin and Peter Kingwill. Gwyn Williams, Paul Westaway and Howard Bates will take up their roles on 1 April 2012.

Pig and poultry producers, processors and butchers are being given the chance to claim a £1,000 prize if they can come up with the latest innovation to drive the sector forward.

The ABN Innovation Award 2012, which is open to anyone with an idea for adding greater value to the industries, aims to highlight the very best ideas to help tackle some of the challenges currently being faced by the pig and poultry food production chain.

A leading meat association has accused the Food Standards Agency (FSA) of being “dramatic, divisive and misleading” by publishing out-of-date information in what amounts to a “league table” of meat plants.

The Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW) has reacted angrily to the FSA’s publication of its ‘cause for concern’ list, seeing it as “a deliberate act of aggression” against the meat industry.

Cases of the Schmallenberg virus (SBV) have been detected on four sheep farms in Norfolk, Suffolk and East Sussex, the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) has confirmed.

Bpex has redesigned its website in a bid to make the it more accessible and easy to navigate.

2 Sisters’ holding company, Boparan Holdings, has announced strong sales momentum in its first-quarter trading, with revenues of £565m.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has published the list of processors and abattoirs which it says fails to meet the required hygiene standard, and has committed to publish this on a weekly basis from now on.

The plants named are those deemed a “cause for concern” by the FSA on the basis of plant audit reports, which have been informed that they must put improvements in place to ensure that the required hygiene standards are met.

Bpex has announced a new head of marketing who will take up the position in April. 

Kirsty Walker is joining Bpex from Arthritis Research UK, where she was policy, communications and brand director. She will take on the role from Chris Lamb who is retiring at the end of February.

Eblex has announced the date for this year’s Outlook Conference as Wednesday 2 May. The half-day event highlights economic and market information and forecasting for the pig, dairy and beef and lamb sectors, and is jointly hosted with Bpex and DairyCo.

The Scottish Executive has announced a £300,000 funding boost to encourage export growth in key European markets, as research reveals that the weak euro is decreasing the threat from cheap red meat imports.

The new EU strategy on animal welfare, announced yesterday (19 January) has met with mixed reviews from the meat and farming organisations. Although tentatively welcomed by some, many feel it does not go far enough to address the problems in enforcing existing animal welfare legislation and also maintaining competitiveness. 

Leading members of the meat industry have renewed their calls for an overhaul of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) auditing system for meat plants, following the news that the FSA has gone ahead with its controversial plans to publish audit reports of approved meat plants in England, Scotland and Wales.

The first tranche were published on Monday (16 January) and included more than 200 audits that have been completed since 1 November 2011. From now on, around 200 audits will be issued at the end of each month.

Chicken processor Faccenda has said it will create 347 new jobs if plans to extend its Telford factory are given the go-ahead.

The company has submitted a planning application for a 13,490m² extension to its existing 6,258m² factory at Hortonwood industrial estate. The extension would accommodate new cutting and portioning lines, chilled despatch warehousing and new administration and staff facilities.

Asda has seen a “significant” increase in meat sales following the decision to convert in-store butchery counters to carry the Butcher’s Selection branding, according to the company’s senior red meat trader Jim Viggars.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has gone ahead with its controversial plans to publish audit reports of approved meat plants in England, Scotland and Wales, with the first audits published on its website yesterday (16 January).

The first tranche included more than 200 audits that have been completed since 1 November 2011. From now on, around 200 audits will be issued at the end of each month.

Scottish beef farmers have agreed a “unanimous strategy” for creating a single body to campaign on behalf of the industry.

NBA Scotland and the Scottish Beef Cattle Association (SBCA) met last week (11 January) at UA’s Stirling Mart to discuss CAP reform and the possible merger of the two groups.

Livestock farmers are invited to attend a debate organised by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA) to assess the health of the British herd.

The 2012 edition of the Oxford Farming Conference focused on issues of food security, sustainability and power. Speakers included Agriculture Minister Jim Paice, Secretary of State Caroline Spelman and Shadow Secretary of State Mary Creagh.

Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Caroline Spelman has praised Scottish farmers for the success of their produce overseas. Scotland has broken its food export record, surpassing £1bn in 2011.

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has warned livestock farmers of the appearance of a new virus causing abortions and fetal abnormalities in ruminants. There has been no cases of Schmallenberg virus in the UK, but the disease has now spread to Belgium after being first observed in the Netherlands and Germany last summer.

Highlights of agriculture minister Jim Paice's speech at the Oxford Farming Conference 2012.

Pig bosses have launched a survey looking for views on the state of the industry across the board.

The industry has welcomed the greater commitment from government to increasing food exports, announced by the Secretary of State at the Oxford Farming Conference last week, as newly released figures show growth in meat exports leading the way.

The National Beef Association (NBA) Scotland is holding a meeting on CAP reform this week and has invited members of the Scottish Beef Cattle Association to participate, in the first move to unite the two bodies which represent beef farmers in Scotland.

The Pig Grading Information System (PiGIS) has won the Oxford Farming Conference/Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE) Practice with Science award.

Eblex is urging producers to ensure that livestock being presented for slaughter meets cleanliness guidelines to avoid incurring additional hygiene controls that increase costs and lower returns.

Antibiotics given to farm animals are unlikely to cause antimicrobial resistance in humans, new research has revealed. The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has welcomed the findings, questioning the EU’s decision to ban the prophylactic use of antimicrobials in livestock.

A West Yorkshire farm shop has bought both the champion and the reserve champion at Skipton Auction Mart’s opening New Year show and sale.

Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) has launched a new campaign to end live animal exports, which was unveiled in London by actress and campaigner Joanna Lumley.

NFU vice-president Meurig Raymond has asked the British Retail Consortium (BRC) to encourage members to invest in British pork.

The appeal came after a speaker at the Oxford Farming Conference revealed that 58% of the pigmeat consumed in the UK was imported, mostly from countries with lower welfare standards.

Industry leaders have warned that stricter nitrate regulations could be detrimental to livestock farmers, after Defra announced a review of the current directive. 


The meat industry has hit back against calls from a former government advisor for a dramatic reduction in meat consumption to fight obesity and climate change.


Professor Tim Lang, who has advised the World Health Organisation and the Department for Environment on food policy, told The Telegraph that meat consumption was “out of control” and said people should return to the past tradition of saving meat for special occasions.

Agriculture minister Jim Paice has reasserted Defra’s commitment to implement the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA), after concerns emerged over possible delays.

Bpex’s has hailed its ‘Pork Promise’ campaign a success and claims that more shoppers are now actively looking for Red Tractor logo pork products.

The campaign, launched in autumn 2011, used outdoor poster, print and online advertisments and social media activity to highight the reasons to choose quality-assured pork and explain the standards behind the Red Tractor logo.

Defra is creating a network of rural and farming groups across the UK to help it better understand and promote the interests of rural communities and businesses, Agriculture Minister Jim Paice announced today at the Oxford Farming Conference.

Rural insurer NFU Mutual estimates that sheep rustling increased by two-and-a-half times in 2011, costing £6m to the industry. More than 60,000 sheep could have been stolen between January and October 2011, continuing the upwards trend observed in the last decade.

The president of the National Farmers Union (NFU) has said that he remains “optimistic” about the future of British farming, despite the challenges that lie ahead in 2012.

The NFU has declared that a review of nitrate directives was “premature and unnecessary”, after Defra launched a four-month consultation aiming to shape a revised set of regulations. The new rules, which will come into force in January 2013 could include the expansion of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) to the whole of England, instead of the current 62%.

A Scotch Beef campaign which helped increase sales of beef in London by 30% has been shortlisted for a major award by the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

The Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW) has expressed concern over the future level of Scottish livestock, despite a report published this week showing that the decline in beef numbers seems to be showing some localised stabilisation. 

Three butchers who trade within a stone’s throw of each other in the same Lincolnshire town bought the best beef cattle at this month’s Smithfield Festival, the latest incarnation of the famous Royal Smithfield Show.

The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) has called for the alignment of welfare standards to help consumers choose higher welfare meat.

Scientists have discovered a 
molecule which they believe might be able to stop the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).


An Oxfordshire farmer has created a real buzz on the internet with a Christmas video he made for his customers. The video, which shows Colin Dawes and his staff singing, dancing and performing everyday tasks around the farm and butcher’s shop, has had over 50,000 hits on twitpic and Youtube.

Wholesaler John Penny and Sons has produced a video explaining the benefits of good-quality meat from the local butcher.

The head of the National Pig Association has written to planners refuting claims that a large-scale pig unit in Foston would pose a threat to human health.

In the letter to Derbyshire County Council, NPA chairman Stewart Houston said that that criticism levelled at Midland Pig Producers’ proposals by the Soil Association had been “distinctly selective” and urged planners to be guided by the facts as presented.

Two organisations representing beef farmers in Scotland have announced an intention to unite and form a single, independent body. The Scottish Beef Cattle Association (SBCA) and National Beef Association Scotland (NBAS) have been discussing a union for two years and are now calling on Scottish beef farmers to endorse the move.

The National Beef Association (NBA) and the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) have welcomed Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman’s announcement that two badger cull areas will be licensed in 2012. The pilot culls will take place in early autumn to determine how safe, effective and humane the method is before potentially expanding it to the rest of England.

Eblex has released a report highlighting the importance of livestock production for English landscapes. The organisation hopes to give perspective to the argument that meat consumption should be reduced to save the environment.

Landscapes without Livestock is an independent report conducted by Land Use Consultants (LUC) for Eblex, and depicts the evolution of the country’s landscapes in the next 30 years if livestock were to disappear from it.

Defra has called on the farming and agri-food industry in England to present its views on the proposed EU reform to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), as part of an informal consultation process.

The chairman of Danish meat company Tican has warned Danish pig producers that they must endeavour to meet the improved animal welfare standards demanded by UK consumers and retailers, according to Danish newspaper Landbrugasavisen.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) is urging shoppers who want to buy locally reared, good-quality Christmas turkey to head online.

Standard turkey production has once again come under fire after animal welfare leaders claimed an increasing demand for higher-welfare products could outstrip supply.

According to the RSPCA, more than one in three adults (34%) would choose a higher-welfare turkey, either Freedom Food or free-range, this Christmas, while just 10% would go for the cheapest. However, the charity pointed out that only 7% of turkey production falls under the Freedom Food standards.

NFU president Peter Kendall has asked the European Commission (EC) to improve farmers’ competitiveness with supply chain legislation. He believes EU regulation could help rectify the power imbalance between supermarkets and the agricultural sector.

UK producers have responded to the challenge of European food safety leaders and pledged to cut the use of antibiotics in poultry production.

Scotland’s top scientific advisor has been appointed as the EU’s first chief scientist, two years after the EU President pledged to create the role.

Farmers are celebrating after a key vote in the European Commission delayed an Electronic Identification (EID) requirement for individual movement recording of the ‘historic’ sheep flock for three years.

The National Beef Association (NBA) has welcomed news that farmers across the UK have already started receiving their single farm payments.

Meat processors, along with other businesses, have been urged to plan ahead in preparation for a potential summer drought. An Environment Agency report has revealed that water shortage was very likely after one of the driest springs on record.

The Scottish government has applied to the United States Department of Argriculture (USDA) to lift the ban currently imposed on red meat imports from Scotland.

Health protection experts have warned that chicken liver pâté is a major source of camplybacter infection in the UK, accounting for 90% of outbreaks at catering venues in 2011.

According to figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA), there have been a total of 18 outbreaks of campylobacter infection in the UK this year, with more than 443 people taken ill. Fourteen of these outbreaks occured in catering venues and 13 of these were linked to chicken or duck liver pâté.

The impact of the meat inspectors’ strikes on 30 November has been described as ‘mixed’ by the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) and although some of its members were seriously affected, the majority were able to operate a normal service.

A Norfolk poultry producer has negotiated a temporary pay-cut with its 600 staff in order to see it through financial difficulties.

The NFU has welcomed the news that the EU is delaying a decision on its controversial plans to introduce stringent changes to feed regulations in organic poultry production from 1 January, and urged producers to carry on as normal.

A bid to offer ethical, UK-produced game birds has taken off after landing a number of foodservice accounts.

Red Tractor welfare standards have come under fire from two animal welfare organisations in a new consumer guide to be published in the run-up to Christmas.

Farmers sold their livestock for record prices at the Skipton Auction Mart’s Christmas primestock show. Supreme championship was awarded to a British Blue-cross heifer, a Beltex-cross lamb trio, and a Pietrain-cross-Large White pig trio.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) has welcomed Chancellor George Osborne’s autumn statement, saying it recognises the importance of the farming and food sectors in today’s economy.

The Pig and Poultry Fair is set to return to Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire on 15 and 16 May 2012.

Funding for UK food security has received a significant boost after the Chancellor of the Exchequer unveiled £80m for the development of further research facilities at the BBSRC’s Institute for Animal Health (IAH).

Butchers are being offered a new range of premium beef products with the launch of a new brand from Scotch Premier Meat.

Agriculture experts have hit back at criticism over antibiotic use on farms, calling for stronger regulation within human treatment.

A new study suggests that the correlation between prostate cancer and red meat is driven primarily by overcooking on a grill or barbecue.

Scottish beef farmers feel more confident about the future than a year ago, but are concerned about the CAP reform, a Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) survey has revealed.

Exhibitors at last weekend’s English Winter Fair livestock showcase at Stafford saw a signicant increase in returns, according to auctioneers Bagshaws. The auctioneers put the increase down to a strong trade for beef, lamb and pork.

The Dairy Event and Livestock Show is to be rebranded as Livestock 2012 in a bid to continue to build on the recent success of the exhibition.

The Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) said the annual two-day specialist business-to-business event, staged at The NEC in Birmingham, will be called Livestock Incorporating Dairy Event from next year and will be held during the first week of July from 2013 onwards.

Eblex is offering 300 marketing kits to help farm shops promote their beef and lamb over the Christmas period.

Bpex has appointed Tulip agricultural director Andrew Saunders as a new board member following the retirement of John Hughes.

The Bpex Professional Manager Development Scheme (PMDS) will return in January 2012, with 10 pig unit managers selected to take part.

An alliance, composed of Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), The Soil Association and Sustain, has released a report to raise awareness on the dangers of antibiotics overuse in farm animals. The launch coincides with European Antibiotic Awareness Day 2011.

“Antibiotics have had a huge effect on human health. We have developed a resistance to them because they are used for prophylactic purposes on factory farm animals that are not even sick,” a CIWF spokesperson said.

The FSA board has agreed a set of guidelines for slaughterhouses that use CCTV for animal welfare purposes.

The NFU and the Badger Trust are working together to vaccinate badgers on two farms owned by NFU members. This trial run is meant to assess this effectiveness of the injectable vaccination of badgers to combat bovine tuberculosis (bTB).

Defra ministers have rejected the EU Agriculture Commissioner’s draft proposals on CAP reform, claiming they are inadequate to make farming more competitive and protect the environment.

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman led a delegation of UK ministers to meet Commissioner Dacian Ciolos and express their concerns ahead of today’s negotiations on the proposed reform in Brussels.

Red meat processor Dunbia has launched an export marketing agreement with the Beltex Sheep Society, with a premium of up to 30p/kg on selected lambs. Up to 1,200 Beltex cross sheep will be sold every week to an agreed Belgian buyer.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) will hold an open Board meeting at its headquarters in London today at 1pm.

The 2005 EU regulation on livestock transportation has had limited impact on animal welfare, but has increased overall costs for transport companies, according to a survey by the European Commission (EC).

Perth-based organic livestock and poultry farmer Hugh Grierson will be supplying meat to the first Scottish Whole Foods store opening near Glasgow on 16 November.

Learn, be unique, and look for exposure. This is what 21-year-old, first-generation sheep farmer Gareth Barlow has done to make his business successful. He now sells his lamb to Michelin-starred restaurants.

The EU has announced that it will cut spend on animal disease programmes by €45m next year.

Ministers made the decision at the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) meeting last week, pledging €203m (£184m) to support programmes to eradicate and control animal disease in 2012.

Two poultry businesses have been fined after their employees were seriously injured in falls on their premises.

Llynclys Farm Ltd in Shropshire was fined £6,000 after an employee fell from an unguarded platform and fractured his pelvis, while Crown Chicken in Norfolk was fined £3,500 after a factory worker fell from an unsecured ladder and broke his back.

The government has said that it may consider extending the shooting season into February. The statement came in response to questions posed in Parliament by Democratic Unionist MP Jim Shannon.

Medical experts have dismissed claims that new research proves that eating overcooked meat is twice as likely to cause cancer than previously thought.

The British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) has expressed concern that ministers are considering making CCTV mandatory in slaughterhouses to monitor animal welfare.

A Daily Mail article has reignited tensions over the processed animal protein (PAP) ban after claiming Britain could be facing a new Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD) outbreak if it was relaxed for non-ruminant feed.

The article stated that the European Commission’s proposal to allow pigs to be fed poultry meat and vice versa could lead to Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE), the condition that prompted the ban after the 1980s mad cow scandal.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has laid down the key principles for establishing the future meat controls programme, which, once agreed with ministers, will form the basis of the UK position in EU negotiations to modernise meat controls across the EU.

A new £20m fund to boost profits for rural businesses and reduce their impact on the environment has been launched today by Agriculture Minister Jim Paice.

More than 650 meat hygiene inspectors have been balloted about industrial action over pensions on 30th November, and have voted in favour of striking.

Research undertaken by the University of Edinburgh has shown that it may be possible to manage bovine TB through the use of selective breeding, which could be implemented in UK farming in as little as two years. 

Denhay Farms’ dry-cured bacon has been crowned Best of the West for the second time in a row. Judges from the Taste of the West Awards held in Cornwall on 1 November said it was “an excellent product in all respects”.

Agriculture Minister Jim Paice has announced welfare rules would be tightened at the port of Ramsgate, after it was brought to his attention that delays had occurred in loading animals onto the ships. In response to the delays, the government has written to exporters to warn them of the consequences of not observing the law on animal welfare standards.

Former Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) chairman Rees Roberts has become the latest recipient of the Royal Smithfield Club’s Bicentenary Trophy for service to the livestock and meat trades. The Trophy, an Armada dish set with 25 golden guineas, was presented to him by the Club’s president John Coultrip at Butcher’s Hall.

Eblex has produced a new set of guidelines which aims to help abattoirs overcome the problem of hot and cold muscle shortening in lamb carcases post-slaughter, and thereby maintain the tenderness of the meat.

Farmers who maintain the best track records on environmental protection and animal welfare could earn the right to have fewer inspections, Jim Paice said today.

The Food Standards Agency has reported that meat from a cow aged over 72 months has entered the supply chain without being tested for BSE.

A high-speed beef and sheep database recording animal movements and assurance statuses is essential to enhance the industry’s reputation on world markets, according to Eblex chairman John Cross.

Speaking at the organisation’s annual conference, Cross said that by helping manage the risk of major disease outbreaks, the system would put the UK on an equal or better footing than its competitors at a time when world trade is booming.

The 2011 Eblex conference outlined the challenges and opportunities of the British beef and lamb industry. Exports outside the EU and halal products should both be developed to ensure a bright future for the sector.

The National Beef Association (NBA) has suspended its director Kim Haywood pending an investigation into her “recent conduct”.

Midland Pig Producers (MPP) has had its proposal for a pig farm, which would house up to 22,500 pigs, turned down by South Derbyshire District Council (SDDC). While rejection at a local district council level is a blow to the company, it will not find out the final outcome until Derbyshire County Council makes a decision before the end of the year. 

Animal nutritionist Paul Toplis has been awarded the prestigious David Black Award in recognition of his sustained contribution to the pig industry over a career which spans 40 years.

Butchers, farmers and chefs joined Eblex and Michelin-starred chef Nigel Haworth at Barnard Castle for a Taste of England ‘farm to fork’ event, highlighting the potential of lesser-known cuts of meat for the foodservice sector.

Two of the meat industry’s leading figures have been appointed as the first non-executive directors of the new Animal Health and Welfare Board for England.

The Environment Agency (EA) has dropped its objections to the mega-pig farm proposed by Midland Pig Producers (MPP), after deciding that the risks of pollution to the ground water are minimal. 

Northern Ireland Invest has launched two new export initiatives by teaming up with Eblex and QMS to increase sales in key European markets, as part of its Boosting Business campaign.

Poultry and pork farmers Packington Free Range has won its third accolade this year, winning the Special Award for Commitment to Continued Improvement at the 2011 Good Food Awards, organised by Taste of Staffordshire.

Livestock farmer group Graig Producers has made an agreement with Dunbia’s Welsh abattoir in Llanybydder, guaranteeing minimum prices for organic lamb. The organisation hopes to encourage its members to produce organic lamb year-round and avoid the need for imports.

The board of the National Beef Association has stepped down following the organisation’s decision to review its governance structure. The decision was made at the association’s AGM, which was held at Hexham, Northumberland, last week

Two North Yorkshire businesses have been fined for dumping food waste including meat on land to feed sheep and cattle. The Environment Agency told the court that that the transporting and dumping of the waste had the potential to cause another foot and mouth outbreak in a region still recovering from the outbreak ten years ago

The volatility of the worldwide grain market may continue to push meat prices upwards, according to AHDB analysts.

Speaking at the HGCA grain market outlook conference, senior analyst Jack Watts said the worldwide production of grain in 2011 was struggling to keep pace with growing demand. With an anticipated 25mt global deficit for maize pushing reliance on to wheat for animal feed, the volatility of the grain market may well hit meat prices, particularly as meat consumption rises.

A new survey has found that 94% of consumers believe the animal welfare standards for fresh meat should also apply to frozen and processed foods, with 98% believing that supermarkets should enforce the same standards of animal welfare on imported meat as on meat from British farms. 

Three people have been arrested and released on bail in connection with the largest incident of sheep rustling in the last 25 years.

Bpex has denied accusations that it misled the public by advertising Red Tractor pork as high welfare pork. Responding to the claims made by animal welfare charity Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), the organisation said: “Red Tractor pig farmers are proud of their welfare standards and we stand by the statement in our adverts.”

Protein sources such as meat and fish could be the key to curbing appetites and reducing obesity, according to new international research.

Bpex has confirmed that its former veterinary programme manager Derek Armstrong will be the new head of research and development. He was already acting head since the departure of Mike Varley last July.

Northern Irish beef supplier Foyle Food Group has launched a major new rebrand of its entire operations, refreshing and simplifying its logo and branding to help it compete in an increasingly global marketplace. 

The National Farmers Union (NFU) is teaming up with Ladies in Beef to launch a new consumer campaign to promote British beef as a versatile, nourishing and good-value option for families.

Running across digital, social media, national advertising, retail and traditional TV and radio platforms from November, the campaign will be fronted by actress, and star of ITV’s Loose Women, Lynda Bellingham, whose roles as a country vet’s wife in All Creatures Great and Small and as the Oxo mum made her a national figure. 

The poultry industry has a bright future, but strategic changes must be made, according to a new Rabobank report. Written by an international team of poultry specialists, Crossroads for Growth has predicted a 30% rise in global demand for poultry by 2020.

Independent online meat and grocery-box company Riverford Organic has won the independent food retailer category at the RSPCA Good Business Awards.

Eblex and Bpex have launched a new website to help international red meat buyers find products and suppliers.

Researchers have started developing a new vaccine to protect chickens from coccidiosis, the most important disease affecting poultry. Based on proteins from the coccidiosis bug rather than the bug itself, the vaccine could be produced on a larger scale than what is currently possible, providing widespread protection in poultry farms around the world.

The NFU has welcomed Sainsbury’s commitment to double the amount of British food on its shelves by 2020.

Asda is hoping to reduce CO2 emissions by 186,000 tonnes with a new type of grass for its cattle and sheep. Developed in Britain, Aber High Sugar Grass (HSG) is meant to cut methane emissions by 20% per animal, as well as limit feed costs by providing better nutrition.

Turkey producers can now buy Christmas packaging online via the UK Turkeys website. Products available include small and large boxes, carcase and carrier bags and leg tags.

Industry leaders and associations have welcomed a report arguing that to achieve sustainable food consumption, British farmers and businesses need government support.

The paper, published by WWF and the Food Ethics Council (FEC), states that ensuring fair deals for farmers and consumers is essential to reach a more sustainable diet, and backs government reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.

The International Meat Trade Association (IMTA) has called for increased flexibility over European Union (EU) commodity crisis management so that soaring meat prices - as well as price collapses - can be tamed by the European Commission.

Pig and poultry farm Mercer, from Barton-Under-Needwood in Staffordshire, is re-branding its pork, chicken and cockerel ranges under the name Packington Free Range.

A butcher has teamed up with local members of his supply chain in a bid to deliver a new range of conservation-friendly beef to menus.

Leading UK and Irish beef processor ABP has announced it is to purchase the RWM Food Group for an undisclosed sum.

The Co-operative Group’s strong animal welfare record has helping it scoop a top RSPCA award for the third year running.

Farmers will not back the Isle of Man’s meat plant restructuring, according to Lynwill Farms Ltd owner William Christian, who is currently trying to set up his own plant.

Sheep industry hero John Thorley OBE has been appointed as the new chairman of the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS).

As director of the Pastoral Alliance and former chief executive of the National Sheep Association, Thorley has over 40 years’ experience of campaigning for the meat industry. He is also currently chair of the Prince of Wales’ Mutton Renaissance Club and the Campaign for Wool.

A Yorkshire transport company transporting animal by-products to a rendering plant has been hit with a fine totalling more than £40,000 after poultry waste spilled out onto roads.

West Country catering butcher Turtons of Devon has been awarded a major industry accreditation in recognition of its high food safety and hygiene standards.

The Soil Association is launching a new roadmap which outlines its priorities for the coming decade.

Irish meat processor Foyle Food Group has posted “satisfactory” results for the year ending 31 December 2010, with gross profits up 3.3%, to £12.8m (compared to £12.4 last year) and pre-tax profits up over 21% to £3.25m.

Mark Newman, a founder member of the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS) and a staunch supporter of the live market system, has died aged 52.

The campaign against Midlands Pig Producers’ (MPP) plans for a new ‘super-pig farm’ in Derbyshire has stepped up a gear, with a new publicity drive being planned in the run-up to Christmas. 

The Humane Slaughter Award 2012 is now up for grabs, with applications and nominations now being received from around the world.

Domestic food production must be a policy cornerstone as the Labour Party seeks to rebuild towards the next general election in 2015, NFU president Peter Kendall told conference delegates last night.

Asda triumphed at the British Turkey Awards dinner at the Globe Theatre in London, taking the title of retailer of the year for the breadth of its year-round range of turkey products. 

MPs have called on Defra to back the findings of an independent farming regulation task force which aims to cut the EU red tape currently stifling UK farmers.

The Red Tractor Assurance (RTA) scheme standards for beef and lamb, pigs and poultry have been revised, with changes to be introduced from 1 October 2011.

Eblex has produced best-practice handling guidelines for beef cattle, after research revealed poor beef cattle handling can reduce carcase values by as much as 50p per kilo.

Spanish consumers have rated English Quality Standard grass-fed lamb highly in blind taste tests carried out by Eblex.

The NFU has vowed to challenge the Food Standards Authority (FSA) decision to advise the government not to lift a ban on processed animal protein (PAP) in non-ruminant feed.

The RSPCA has launched an investigation into a Freedom Food-certified pig farm after alleged footage showed what animal activists claimed were “appalling conditions”.

Places are still available for the The Society of Food Hygiene and Technology’s (SOFHT) Traceability Conference & Exhibition on 13 October 2011.

A new set of guidelines that sets out specifications for animal food and feed has been published by the British Standards Institute (BSI), in order to reduce safety risks along the food chain.

Eblex is launching a new prize-giving campaign in a bid to boost sales of Red Tractor beef and lamb.

A flock of sheep worth up to £100,000 has been stolen from a farm in Lincolnshire, raising fears that the meat will enter the food chain illegally through unregulated abattoirs. 

A Dumfries sausage factory owned by Browns Food Group is closing, with the potential loss of 15 jobs.

Defra is expected to announce that it will strip laboratory facilities from more than half of the UK’s regional veterinary centres in a bid to save £2.4m a year, a union has warned.

The Catholic Church has called for worshippers in England and Wales to return to the centuries-old tradition of abstaining from eating meat on a Friday.

Meat industry representatives have refuted claims that meat production is unsustainable and facing imminent decline.

Over the past few weeks, The Guardian, The Independent and the Daily Mail have all run stories suggesting that we are facing a reduction in meat sales, citing a myriad of reasons including price inflation, climate change, health concerns and high-profile anti-meat campaigns.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron put beef exports firmly on the agenda during a visit to Russia this week.

Welsh lamb is benefiting from the high prices of its New Zealand counterparts in the French market, according to latest information from Hybu Cyg Cymru - Meat Promotion Wales.

QMS has signed up three rugby legends to support a new campaign to encourage consumers to support Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork labels, to coincide with the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

The cost of production for beef and sheep rose by 4.6% per kilo on average in the year to 31 March 2011, an Eblex survey has revealed, although figures for the year to date are expected to show improved margins for farmers.

Welsh lamb bosses are hoping for a boost with the launch of a major £800,000 marketing campaign to extol the virtues of their meat.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has said that it will advise Defra ministers that the relaxation of a feed ban, which bans processed animal protein (PAP) from being fed to non-ruminant animals, should not be supported unless effective enforcement of controls to prevent inter-species’ cross-contamination can be assured.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is to push ahead with its controversial plans for full-cost recovery while putting the onus on the meat industry to find a feasible and financially viable alternative model for meat inspection. 

Bpex has appointed two new members to its board of directors: Richard Hooper from Harper Adams University College and Steve Francis, managing director of Vion’s pork business.

The Welsh Deputy Minister for Agriculture Alun Davies has officially opened the new livestock market in Crymych, Pembrokeshire.

The UK’s leading funding agency for academic research has announced a £4m fund to research campylobacter within the food chain.

Domestic and global market opportunities for beef and lamb will be the focus of this year's Eblex annual conference in November.

Defra is expected to announce that it will strip laboratory facilities from more than half of the UK’s regional veterinary centres in a bid to save £2.4m a year, a union representing scientists has warned.