A message from the Chairman

As I step into the role of Chairman of the British Pig Association, I welcome the opportunity to represent all members of the organisation.

We have started our journey under the new BPA constitution which was specifically designed so that all members can take part in the work of the Association. As we prepare to celebrate our 25^th anniversary we need anyone who cares about the conservation of our pedigree pig breeds, the future of small-scale pig farming and sustainable pork production to get on board and work together. Under our new constitution you don’t have to be elected as a Breed Representative to take part you just need to put up your hand and say “Yes I want to be part of this conservation project”. Of course step one is to breed pedigree pigs but if together we want to do more than just run a herdbook then we all need to join in. To paraphrase John F Kennedy “Don’t ask what the BPA is going to do for you instead ask what you are going to do save our pedigree pigs”.

We have a new chair for each of the two strategic committees, Conservation and Sustainable Pork Production. I urge you all to take a moment to ask yourselves that question “what can I do”. It might be you could birth notify all your litters (no extra cost as the birth notes are included in your package membership) or it might be you could sign the pedigree pork pledge. Hopefully many of you will be able to offer more of your time and skills. The door is open, all you need to do is email Guy Kiddy or Jane Mathews and tell them you would like to help and together we can build a future for our pigs. One thing I can assure you is that if we don’t do it ourselves nobody else is going to do it for us.

I would like to take a moment to express my gratitude to our previous Chairman, Chris Impey, for his work for and on behalf of the organisation over the last two and a half years in the aftermath of Covid and its associated challenges. 

I would also like to thank the Directors who stepped down from the Board at the AGM – Maria Naylor, Tracey Bretherton and Nigel Overend – for their contribution to the work of the organisation over many years.

I wish Maria well as she undertakes her role as Chair of the BPA Show Group and Tracey as she steps into the role of Chair of the Junior Pig Club.  Both groups are of huge importance to the BPA, the show group showcasing our breeds and educating the public in relation to the conservation benefits of eating pedigree pork.  The Junior Pig Club is the envy of other organisations.  Tracey puts in an inordinate amount of time and effort into the Club and the Board looks forward to working with her going forwards.

Nigel Overend has been and remains vital to the conservation work of the organisation, the Overend family having been instrumental in developing gene banking and working with both the BPA and RBST in relation to gene banking projects.

Following the recent elections, I am pleased to welcome our new Directors to the Board – Guy Kiddy, Ryan Perry and Jane Mathews, all of whom bring a wealth of experience and skills to the organisation.  I am also pleased to welcome Chris Coe back to the Board where she continues her invaluable work as Treasurer.  I look forward to working with them all.

Your new Board will continue to manage the corporate business of the Charity but we have delegated authority to these core committees Conservation, Sustainable Pork Production and working groups Shows and Junior Pig Club. That is where the real work will be taking place and it will only happen if you the members take up this challenge and make use of the opportunity that your 21^st Century constitution offers.  

Brian Kelly - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Conservation Committee

I feel very honoured to have been elected to lead the conservation committee for the next 3 years and would like to thank Chris Impey for the work he has put in during his term in office. It is straight down to work with the very pressing matters of the annual breed survey to complete along with the 2022 herdbooks. Being involved, as in the annual survey, is very much the ethos of the new committee structure.  We can establish working groups to undertake specific projects so if anyone has new ideas and the time to help preserve or enhance their breeds please take this opportunity to come forwards. I want to hear from you no matter which breed you have or whereabouts you are.  Much of what both the Conservation & Pork committees do to help our breeds will have common goals so collaborative projects will be welcomed.

The following projects are just some the ideas that we hope can be implemented over the next 3 years.

Further collections from boars to complete the semen bank

Use of some of the semen that has been in long term storage

Improved take up of geneped & kinship

Developing a performance recording scheme

Investigating the use of government schemes

Further work with Large White & British Landrace breeders to ensure the viability of the breeds

If you are interested in helping with any of these or if you have other ideas please do contact me. To fund these projects the committee will be investigating sponsorship deals with commercial companies whenever possible to give the members good value for money

Guy Kiddy This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sustainable Pork Production Committee

I feel privileged to have been appointed as Chair of the new Sustainable Pork Production Committee and would like to thank my predecessor, Brian Kelly, for his work to develop the Committee over the last few years. 

I am excited to have the opportunity to continue the work that has been commenced over the summer.  It is an area about which many of you will know, I am particularly passionate.  I firmly believe that sustainable pork production underpins the future of our breeds and is relevant to every BPA member is some shape or form.

Alongside the annual breed survey, we need to press ahead contacting our abattoirs to determine where a vet attestation will be required.  The 13^th December deadline is looming.  I would like members to form small regional groups to gather this information so that we can feed it into a central list for members.

We also have the first Pedigree Pork Product competition at the English Winter Fair – please do come along and enter your products.  Details and an entry form are available on the BPA website.

Under the umbrella of the Sustainable Pork Production Committee we can establish working groups to undertake specific projects.  If you have new ideas and time to help develop our pedigree pork scheme/education projects please come forward.  We need your help irrespective of what breed(s) of pigs you keep or where you are based. 

The following projects are some of the ideas that we are hoping to implement during the next 3 years:

• Development of a small-scale assurance scheme
• Establishing regional groups to promote pedigree pork locally
• Investigating the use of government schemes
• Member webinars/videos to provide information
• Development of accredited training courses
• Development of marketing information relating to pedigree pork

If you are interested in helping with any of these projects, or have other ideas, please do contact me.  To fund these projects the Committee will be investigating sponsorship/grant opportunities.

Jane Mathews – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.