£1 million oxygen bubble for UK pig producers

No levy will be paid next month by pig producers in England and Scotland in a bid to help the swine sector, confronted with a lack of skilled workers, as Brexit took its toll on the workforce available in British farms. The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) took the decision in response to the continued build-up of pigs on farms, falling prices and high production costs.The recommendation has been agreed by Ministers in both countries, with the levy holiday across England and Scotland amounting to just under £1 million, according to a press release from AHDB.It follows ongoing discussions between the two meat levy bodies, Government and industry to identify ways to help pig producers during these difficult times.Chairman of the AHDB Pork Board, Mike Sheldon, said: “These challenges, in particular a shortage of skilled workers, come on top of pressure on margins largely due to rising feed costs. These issues are extremely ...