NPA warns Gove not to make pig’s ear of Brexit
A comment by Defra Secretary Michael Gove that Brexit could open the doors to sales of pigs’ ears to China has seen the National Pig Association (NPA) chiding the minister for his statement.
Earlier this week, Gove told a Conservative Party conference fringe meeting that one area where Brexit offered an opportunity for farmers was in the sale of unpierced pigs’ ears.
This comment was a reiteration of a remark Gove had made in front of the environment, food and rural affairs committee last month.
He said: “Most people will be aware that there are some cuts of the animal that are hugely popular with the British consumer, others a little less. But some of those cuts are hugely popular elsewhere: for example pigs’ ears are a delicacy in China. One of the reasons we’ve not been as successful as we might have been in selling pigs ears into China is that EU rules dictate pigs, like all livestock, have ear tags.”
While he recognised there “very good reasons” for the rule in terms of traceability, he added that, outside the EU the UK could have its own traceability mechanisms, which could mean pigs’ ears wouldn’t need to be pierced.
He claimed unpierced pigs ears were worth more, thus enabling the UK to sell more pigs’ ears to China .
He added: “That means there can be more bacon and pork and ham from the other joints from the animal that are popular here, sold here.”
This summary of possible pig life post-brexit was too much for NPA chief executive Zoe Davies, who said: “The UK pig industry is already making great strides in exporting products to China, including a recent announcement paving the way for exports of trotters from three UK abattoirs.
“While we thank Mr Gove for his continued support of the pig sector and desire to help us increase our export market, the current China pork export deal was negotiated on a bilateral basis between the UK and China and is not part of any EU trade deal.
“We would certainly welcome any opportunity to look at modernising traceability rules post-brexit however.”
And she added: “Beyond this we would urge Mr Gove to ensure the government does not make a pig’s ear of Brexit for our farmers.
“That means ensuring fair trade, with continued free access to the EU market, alongside protection from lower-standard imports as part of any new trade deals, while also making sure the industry retains access to permanent, so-called ‘low-skilled’ workers from the EU that the UK pig industry relies so heavily on.”