Personalities revealed

Store judging is now taking place across the UK and the fina-lists will be announced shortly.

Judges are already reporting a very high standard of entries which should make choosing the finalists of the competition tough.

Meanwhile, product judging is now complete and finalists shortlisted and the Head Office Initiative has also been judged.

Nominations are now in for our Meat Industry Personality of the Year award, supported by Reiser UK and the four finalists are: Stuart Roberts, Charles Bournes, Peter Barr and Stewart Houston.

? Roberts may be a relative newcomer to the industry, having previously worked in government, but in the last year he has had a significant impact, having helped guide his members through foot-and-mouth disease and handling the bluetongue outbreak, all within months and even days of taking on the job.

? Bournes, a poultry farmer and chairman of the NFU Poultry Board, has fought long and hard for many years for poultry producers, recently taking on issues from avian flu and soaring feed prices to increasing regulation and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. Bournes has been instrumental in getting the poultry producers views heard by the media, the public and government by putting forward convincing arguments while showing his grasp of the economic realities.

? Barr, former chairman of the now defunct Meat & Livestock Commission, is a well known figure in the meat sector, having joined the MLC at the height of the 2001 foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, he has helped steer the industry through some interesting times as well as presiding over the final few years of the MLC. Barr was also heavily involved in the establishment of the Red Meat Industry Forum, which has worked to improve industry efficiency.

? Houston, a pig farmer from north Yorkshire, is the chairman of BPEX and the National Pig Association and is a staunch supporter of the British pig industry. He has been a prominent campaigner in recent months on behalf of the industry, calling for better returns for a sector which has found itself under increasing financial strain. Recent exploits have seen him outside 10 Downing Street with a petition for the PM and stretching his vocal chords for campaign song Stand By Your Ham.

To vote for your winning personality, go to [http://www.meatinfo.co.uk] and check your choice in the poll. The awards, which take place at the Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London, on 3 July, celebrate the best in multiple meat retailing, from the products to the stores, with one retailer being named the overall SuperMeat Retailer of the Year.

Taking part in this year's competition are Asda, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Waitrose, Somerfield, The Co-operative Group and Marks & Spencer.

The awards are being sponsored by the Livestock & Meat Commission, EBLEX, HCC - Meat Promotion Wales, Reiser UK, the Danish Bacon & Meat Council, BPEX, Bord Bía and the Vion Food Group.

Do not forget to book your table for the year's most exciting awards show. Contact Liz Ellis on 01293 846593, or email her on elizabeth.ellis@ william-reed.co.uk.

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