Some of the UK’s leading chefs showed their support today for the struggling pig farmers with the launch of a new recipe booklet. 

 

The new booklet, “Choose It and Use It,” highlights the versatility of pork, bacon, ham and sausages and calls on shoppers to help pig farmers by buying products that carry quality labels such as Red Tractor pork.

 

Raymond Blanc, Phil Vickery, Brian Turner and Aldo Zilli are among the chefs who have contributed their favourite pork recipes alongside Celebrity Masterchef Finalists, Christine Hamilton and Liz McClarnon.   Jamie Oliver, whose 2009 TV documentary, Jamie Saves Our Bacon championed high welfare pig farmers, is also supporting the campaign.

 

Pig Farmers once again face the prospect of going out of business due to crippling feed prices caused by spiraling global wheat prices. The situation is critical, with feed prices set to stay high for the foreseeable future.  With most farmers currently loosing around £10 per pig many face immense challenges over the coming months.  The current average cost of production is around £1.62/kg with the price received by farmers around £1.50/kg.

 

In a recent survey 70 percent of pig farmers said they would consider quitting in the next 24 months if they don’t get a better price.  This could lead to a massive drop in the availability of pork, bacon, sausages and ham carrying quality marks such as the Red Tractor, meaning shoppers could lose the choice to buy higher welfare product.

 

The mouth-watering recipes in the booklet include Raymond Blanc’s Ham Hock Terrine with Soused Vegetables,  Phil Vickery’s Succulent Pork with Plums, Sugar and Onions, Brian Turner’s Pork Chop Schnitzel, Aldo Zilli’s Gluten Free Pasta with Pork Bolognese and Nick Nairn’s Stir Fry Soy and Honey Pork.  

 

The booklet also features stories of pig farmers, many of whom are facing substantial losses on their pigs.

 

Stewart Houston, a pig farmer from North Yorkshire and Chairman of BPEX said.  “We suffered major losses due to high feed prices between 2007 and 2008.  Although things improved for a while the problem has returned and the situation is even worse now.  So we are incredibly grateful to all the chefs who have backed our campaign by contributing their recipes and calling on shoppers to look for quality marks such as the Red Tractor on pack.”

 

Jamie Oliver said. “Pig farmers still need your help, so when you’re deciding on the Sunday roast why not choose pork, and do please make sure you look for quality marks like the Red Tractor because that ensures high welfare standards.”

 

Phil Vickery said. “I just love cooking with pork. It’s such a versatile meat and full of flavour too. When you buy pork in the shops look for quality marks such as the Red Tractor, as this supports farmers with high standards of welfare.”

 

Brian Turner said.  “We produce some of the best pork in the world in this country. But it will disappear from our shops if we don’t support farmers.”

 

Long-term supporter of pig farmers Christine Hamilton contributed her very own recipe for Piri Piri Style Baked Sausages.  Christine said “If the situation continues many pig farmers face the prospect of huge losses or even losing their businesses.  That’s why some of the country’s leading chefs have joined together to produce this booklet in support of the ‘Pigs Are Still Worth It’ campaign.  Enthusiastic amateurs like Liz McClarnon and me, both former Celebrity Masterchef finalists, are also supporting the campaign. One thing we’ve both learned is that you don’t have to be a professional chef to make great tasting dishes with pork.

 

“Pork, bacon, sausages and ham not only taste superb but they’re also great value for money and you can do your bit by trying some of the recipes in this book. Most importantly, when shopping for pork please look on the pack for quality marks like the Red Tractor.  This way you can ensure you are supporting farmers who produce pork to high welfare standards, which I know is an issue dear to many of us in this country.

 

The Red Tractor logo ensures that the pork has been produced to exacting food safety and welfare standards, is traceable back to Red Tractor farms and independently inspected at every stage of production.  An estimated two-thirds of imported pork, bacon, sausages or ham does not meet UK minimum legal standards.

The PDF can be downloaded by clicking here.