NPA to set out vision for pig industry in Gove roundtable meeting

NPA chief executive Zoe Davies will outline the association’s vision for a ‘world class pig industry’ at a roundtable event hosted by Defra Secretary Michael Gove on Thursday.

Mr Gove has invited stakeholders from across the farming industry to Defra’s Nobel House headquarters to discuss the ‘opportunities for a world class farming industry’ as the UK considers its futures outside the EU.

Participants will discuss the opportunities Brexit provides to transform the farming sector and the key areas the Government and industry should be focusing on.

Zoe will outline the NPA’s desire to continue frictionless trade on the EU and global markets and to maintain access to permanent and seasonal EU labour. She will also highlight the need to ensure the UK pig herd’s health status is protected by appropriate measures to keep disease out of the country and by sufficient investment in biosecure facilities at home, which will also help address the antibiotic challenge.

Fair and balanced regulation, including reassessing business limiting legislation like Environmental Permitting Regulations, and a tax system that encourages investment are also key NPA priorities.

 Zoe said: “We really are starting from scratch here in terms of what UK agriculture will look like after we leave the EU. So this is a great opportunity for us to start the process of securing something positive for the pig sector.”