A Yorkshire MP has sought support for the UK pig industry, which he hopes will enable the UK to develop more export markets. Exporting the ‘made in Britain’ brand of high welfare and high quality produce and production methods was one of the principal messages of Defra secretary Caroline Spelman’s speech at the 2012 Oxford Farming Conference, which set the tone for British agriculture this year. 

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Mr Stuart asked the Prime Minister for the government’s help in promoting British pork. The MP also said he would be meeting with representatives of the pig industry to discuss how this could best be achieved

Cranswick Country Foods, the company in question, has invested £15 million to upgrade its facilities to meet the most stringent European and US Department of Agriculture standards over the past few years, according to Mr Stuart. As one of only two companies meeting standards for pork exports to the US, Mr Stuart expressed shock at the FSA’s decision, which he described as “Inappropriate bureaucratic behaviour that hampers the rebalancing of our economy through foreign exports.”

However, in a statement the FSA indicated that it expects to be able to approve the plant for export of pig meat to China shortly and is helping the company get up to speed. The MP segued in response to this and declared, “We absolutely need regulators that are rigorous, but they must also support British business, not destroy job creation.”

In response to Mr Stuart’s question, which he said had implications for UK agricultural exports and employment in the sector, David Cameron pledged support for the producers and proposed a meeting to help resolve the issues.

Though Mr Stuart said he would do everything he could to promote the pig industry, and businesses in his East Riding constituency in particular, the FSA said in a statement that the hold-up was due to regulatory issues and reiterated that it was working with the company to help it meet Chinese standards.

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