The chief executive of the Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE) has said there are some “positive outlooks ahead” for the pig, poultry and egg sectors.
David Grint said it has certainly been a “challenging couple of years” for everyone in the sectors, but that it “does feel like the tide is turning”.
“Our industry never fails to impress me with its resilience, adaptability, can-do attitude and innovative answers to the biggest of challenges,” he said.
Grint’s comments come a month before the British Pig & Poultry Fair, which will take place on Wednesday, May 15, and Thursday, May 16, at the NEC, Birmingham.
The key themes of this year’s event are innovation, collaboration and sustainability, and the fair has a new innovation theatre with the aim of profiling the latest cutting-edge products and ideas.
This year’s event is set to attract around 7,500 visitors and 336 exhibitors, with organisers stating that attendees can enjoy the opportunity to network with friends and colleagues, meet with key suppliers and buyers, and browse the wide range of new products to reach the market.
The fair aims to facilitate discussions around the challenges and opportunities for the pig, egg and poultry sectors, with guest speakers exploring “the hot topics of the day”.
Justin Coleman of Moy Park said: “I don’t think there’s been a more interesting time to be in poultry meat, in terms of the amount of change that needs to happen.
“There are some big issues to deal with – but the public still has an insatiable appetite for chicken, so it will be interesting to see where this all lands.”
Pig sector
While the UK and EU herds have likely stopped contracting, Mark Haighton of Sofina Foods said further rationalisation looks likely to continue in the US and elsewhere, which will affect global trade.
“What is the demand going to be for pork versus other proteins and what is happening with the meat-free agenda? That messaging doesn’t seem to be as potent as it once was,” he said.
Minister of state for farming, Mark Spencer, will be speaking about farming policy ahead of the upcoming election, while the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra’s) Janet Hughes will explain the new environmental schemes and grants.
Other topics to be discussed include attracting, recruiting and retaining the next generation of farming talent, along with how to successfully market to the next generation of consumers.
Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about generating potential new income streams from farming insects, or how new technology can help them to reach net zero by turning animal bedding into valuable crop nutrition, organisers said.
The British Pig & Poultry Fair is a biennial, free to attend event organised by RASE and partnered by ABN.
General manager at ABN, Danny Johnson, said: “It’s about taking a joined-up approach to achieve efficiency, performance and growth, and ensuring there’s a viable future for the next generation.”
