The Government’s new Livestock Information Programme is going ahead and going to plan, according to an update made to key stakeholders on Monday (September 3).
The Traceability Design User Group (TDUG) will be responsible for shaping the Livestock Information Programme, with support from Government, food chain and farming groups.
TDUG – which was formed last year and now represents 23 organisations across the meat and livestock sector – held an event to update key stakeholders in London.
Monday’s meeting saw more industry representatives join the conversation and also included Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Rural Affairs Lord Gardiner.
A video shown at the meeting also outlined the potential benefits of the programme to the UK’s agricultural sectors.
National Farmers’ Union (NFU) president Minette Batters said: “We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to drive positive change with the Livestock Information Programme.
“We believe that the LIP will put in place a foundation that we can build on to bring our sector together, connecting producers, markets and processors. I will enable risk-based trading and for us to evidence the quality of our products.
For the first time, the livestock sector will be able to lead the way in British agriculture, building a national system that provides powerful insight from which they can drive better profit through cost reduction, maximising price through provenance and securing the markets that best suit their products.
“It really is a pivotal time for the programme and I’m thrilled to see such great progress enabled by the partnership across the industry.”
John Cross, livestock farmer and TDUG chairman said: “We are in an unprecedented position where the ambitions and needs of government and industry are totally aligned and this is a unique opportunity to achieve something incredibly smart together and make the UK meat and livestock industry world-class.”
