Pig farmers say butcher shortage could lead to cull of animals

Farmer Sophie Hope said she hoped a cull would not be needed

Pig farmers are calling for help from the government to address a shortage of butchers which is leading to a backlog of pigs on farms.

Some farmers say a lack of workers in processing plants has left them "desperate" and could lead to a cull.

The National Pig Association said around 80% of skilled butchers in abattoirs are from Europe, but many have left because of Brexit and Covid.

The government said it recognised the pressures that the industry is facing.

Farmers are asking for the government to address the skills gap by introducing a short-term visa to allow European workers to come to the UK to help address the issue.

"We're really hoping it never comes to this but we have to plan for it and it might be that a welfare cull is needed if farmers run out of space," said Sophie Hope, from Gloucestershire, who rears 10,000 pigs.

"That is the situation that some farmers are in and they are desperate. I've seen the anguish on their faces and it's bad," she added.

Abattoirs are short of staff, leading to a backlog of pigs remaining on farms

The surplus of pigs is also leading to increased costs in food and accommodation.

Dr Zoe Davies, chief executive of National Pig Association, said farmers need help.

"Three are apprenticeship schemes and companies working with the Department of Work and Pensions [DWP] looking at people who are maybe unemployed, to retrain.

"It's just not yielding the amount of people we need, which is why we need this quick injection of skilled labour coming from wherever we can find it," she added.

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "We understand the importance of seasonal labour and we are aware of the challenges that the meat processing and farming industries have faced in recent months because of the Covid-19 pandemic and labour shortages, and Defra has been working closely with these sectors during this time."