Bygone Days: The future of NI pig industry at risk of ‘collapse’ warns the UFU (1981)

This was the blunt warning which out went out, during this week in March 1982 reported Farming Life, from the Ulster Farmers’ central pigs committee which had expressed anger at the delay in “a positive response” by Mr Humphrey Atkins, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, to repeated calls for aid.

Mr Stephen Hall, committee chairman, pointed out that producer prices had been supported by the Pigs Marketing Board for some time and the reduction in the price of Northern Ireland bacon of £25 per tonne would “further reduce board income and increase the need for support”.

“The fact that the board will be unable to continue to support prices indefinitely in the absence of an improvement in the market, and that prices may therefore have to be reduced, makes the need for immediate aid even more urgent,” Mr Hall emphasised.

“Despite the frequent representations made by the union, no action has yet been taken by government to help alleviate the plight of pig producers.”

The committee expressed anger at a meeting in Cookstown which was attended by Mr John Dilworth, chairman of the PMB, and UFU president, Mr Joe Patton, at which the desperate situation faced by pig producers was discussed.

Mr Patton outlined the efforts he had been making to impress upon government the dire situation in the agricultural industry as a whole and the consequences for the industry, the economy and employment, if no assistance was forthcoming.

Mr Stephen Hall pointed out that the union had repeatedly drawn the attention of government the crisis situation which existed in the pig industry and had also “repeatedly and vigorously stressed” the need for immediate government assistance, “if the present catastrophic decline in the industry was to be arrested”.

The continuing lack of profitability in the pigs sector resulting both from very high input costs, particularly of feedstuffs and transport, which put Northern Ireland producers were “at a considerable comparative disadvantage” with their counterparts in Great Britain, “and from a generally depressed market”, had increasingly undermined producers confidence in the future it wd stated.

This lack of confidence was clearly evidenced by a sharply declining breeding herd and reduced marketings through the PMB.

Mr Hall said that the total female pig breeding herd of 65,000 sows and gilts in pig was at its lowest level for more than 25 years.

It was also stated that the UFU had stressed time and again that unless immediate government aid was forthcoming the Northern Ireland pig herd could be “reduced by one half and some 5,000 jobs on and off the farm” could be lost and that assistance on feed costs “along the lines of the abatement of levy in Italy”, was a requirement for the industry.

The union had also persistently pointed out that the cost to government of maintaining employment in the intensive sector would be much less than the cost of paying social security benefits to those who might lose their jobs.

Landrace dinner and prize night: Speaking at the annual dinner and prize distribution of the Northern Ireland Landrace Pig Breeders Association Mr Tom Clarke of the Automart, Portadown, congratulated the breeders on “the high quality of their stock at the shows and sales”.

Mr William Millar, chairman, presided, and Mrs McCarroll, wife of the president, Mr William McCarroll, presented the awards.

Ballyclare show and sale, BLPS Cup, C Millar; O'Hare Cup, R Overend; Allen Perpetual Cup, H Gabbie.

Portadown show and sale, Millar Cup, W G Crawford; Dalriada Cup, G Lamont.

Cookstown show and sale, BOCM Cup, G Lamont; Andrew plaque and replica, M Graham.

Carcase competition, Smyrell Rose Bowl, S J McKeown (P Cartin); Perpetual Challenge Cup, R Overend.

Balmoral spring show and sale 1981, Champion cup - for best Landrace Pig - Cyril M Millar.

Championship Cup - for best Landrace Pig by NILPBA or NILPBA member - Cyril M Millar. Green Challenge Cup, Cyril M Millar.

Wilson Challenge Cup, James Cleland.

Perpetual Challenge Cup - for best two sides of bacon, Robert Overend.

Annual show 1980, Silver Perpetual Challenge Cup - for best Landrace Pig , Cyril M Millar.

Stewart Challenge Cup, Robert Overend.

Silver Perpetual Challenge Cup - for best Landrace Carcase, Trevor Shields.

Autumn show and sale 1980, Perpetual Challenge Rose Bowl — for best Landrace Pig, Cyril M Millar.

John Thompson Challenge Cup - best Landrace Boar, Cyril M Millar.

William Marshall Challenge Cup - best Landrace Gilt, David Harrison.

Perpetual Challenge Cup - best Landrace Carcase, S J McKeown.