Coronation is a chance to bring the country together

THE coronation is an opportunity to bring the country together after several challenging years internationally and to celebrate some of the causes that have been dear to the heart of our new King throughout his life.

The King has been a lifelong champion of rare and native breeds of farm animals that keep alive genetic diversity in agriculture. I believe this should be recognised through a new “Coronation Fund” to help native breeders develop their brand, market and to support projects that preserve the genetic resources within these breeds.

I should declare my interest. My family have the largest and oldest herd of the British Lop pig in the country. We have also bred South Devon cattle for six generations and the farm is home to Greyface Dartmoor sheep and Marsh Daisy chickens (among others). Like all breeders of rare and pedigree native breeds, it is a labour of love rather than a pursuit that brings great riches. My great-great-great-grandfather was involved in the formation of the South Devon Herd Book Society, which gave this breed formal recognition. It has a long history in Devon and Cornwall, renowned for its beef and as a ‘gentle giant’. In the postwar period prizewinning breeding stock were exported throughout the Commonwealth, and genetics from South Devons are a crucial ingredient behind commercial breeds in the US such as the Stabiliser.

The British Lop pig was formally recognised in 1920 and, again, my family were there from the start. It is native to Cornwall and my greatgrandfather had tremendous success showing the breed. They can still be found at Trevaskis Farm; in fact, the pig is so rare that about a third of the national population are at our farm. Last year my brother won the pig interbreed championship at the Royal Cornwall Show with one of his British Lops, keeping alive a family tradition.

Genetic diversity enables life to adapt to new challenges. When any species in its natural environment faces a threat through disease the solution is always to be found through a gene tucked away somewhere which has particular traits that suddenly come into their own. Commercial livestock breeders using cross-bred animals will frequently need to return to the genetic resources maintained in our native breeds to find problems to solutions such as lameness, susceptibility to disease or to improve meat quality. Those who keep our rare and native breeds alive are therefore performing a vital service to the country and to other farmers.