More allied industry candidates enter the PIG election race
21st Dec 2023 / By Alistair Driver
Two more allied industry candidates have entered the race for the four allied industry spaces on the NPA's Pig Industry Group.
Thames Valley Cambac's Oliver Bown is currently the allied industry chair of PIG and, before that, he served on the NPA's allied industry group.
"Having been with TVC for many years, I feel I have sufficient contacts and knowledge to be able to support the NPA and feed back to producers and others in the allied industry, as well as seeking information from those when NPA are trying to defend or represent the industry," he said in his manifesto.
Joe Lunt, a qualified vet who has worked for a number of well-known pig sector companies, currently works for pig nutrition company Zarkos-Smith Associates.
"I have a wide experience of both indoor and outdoor pig management, at all levels of production and passionate about British agriculture and its world leading animal welfare standards, while maintaining productivity, he said in his manifesto.
Their nominations mean, with just under three weeks to go before nominations close, that there are now seven allied industry candidate and six producer candidates.
Producers:
- Ash Gilman
- Rob Mutimer
- Phil Stephenson
- Joe Dewhirst
- Tom Allen
- Helen Webb
Allied industry:
- Oliver Bown
- Joe Lunt
- Michelle Sprent
- Jon McKechnie
- Andy Hall
- Peter Bryant
- Gemma Thwaites.
Manifestos:
The deadline for nominations is January 8, 2024.
PIG Elections
The NPA is seeking candidates for eight producer and four allied member seats on a streamlined PIG.
Producers will be elected on the basis of the most votes received, rather than on a regional basis. Efforts will be made to ensure a balance between indoor and outdoor production and independent and corporate producers.
Allied members will be elected via most votes in four categories – buildings/equipment, health, marketing/processing and nutrition.
Producers will only vote for producers, and allied industry for allied industry, with one vote per membership.
With three weeks left to nominate, the NPA's elected leaders are urging potential candidates to put their names forward.
In a recent post on the forum, vice-chair Hugh Crabtree said: "A lively contest for all places on PIG demonstrates clearly that the association is recognised, valued and important to the sector. Others like Defra see this as well and our legitimacy as the true voice of UK pigs is confirmed."
"But better than that, membership of and involvement with PIG is interesting, valuable to your business and fun.
"GET YOUR NOMINATIONS IN NOW!!"
NPA chairman Rob Mutimer is also urging people from across the sector to consider putting their names forward.
"There are so many talented and driven people right across this industry and we really do want to see as many candidates as possible putting their names forward," he said.
"You can really make a big difference to the NPA and its hard-working team and, ultimately, to the wider industry, as we grapple with so many important issues - from how the supply chain operates to the sustainability and welfare agendas and so much more.
"As members of PIG have testified, there are many benefits of being on PIG and it is not overly burdensome, although we do expect real commitment from those elected."