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In week ended 5th January, the deadweight prime cattle average price levelled on the week at 365.0p/kg. read more

As domestic lamb continues to compete with increased volumes of cheaper imports and demand remains subdued, DW lamb prices eased in week ended 5th January. read more

World prices eased back towards the end of 2012 although remained at levels comparable to the same period in 2011. read more

Having shot to record levels during September and October, GB finished pig prices continued to rise in November and early December, albeit more slowly. read more

The GB weekly average price rose by £4.63/t to £227.93/t and the free-buy average fell by £4.45/t to £330.74/t. read more

Mid-January saw the release of much-anticipated information from the USDA in the form of world supply and demand estimates, US winter wheat plantings, final 2012 production estimates and quarterly stocks. read more

The USDA data set a bearish tone for oilseed markets with upward revisions to US and Brazilian crops. read more

UK malting barley export prices are at €245/t FOB (spring, South Coast) w/e 11th April. read more

The latest National Statistics produced by Defra on the activity of UK hatcheries and poultry slaughterhouses. read more

USDA’s latest quarterly stocks report, released on 28th September, estimated US maize stocks (at 1st September) at 25.1m t, down 12% on the same point in 2011 and the lowest since 2004. read more

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PAPERS

Pig farmers in Suffolk are facing a looming crisis with rising feed prices putting producers at risk of going out of business, it has been claimed. Many are losing up to £20 for every pig they sell to supermarkets so are backing a major publicity drive to remind shoppers to buy high-welfare British pork, bacon and sausages. Suffolk pig farmers have joined the national Banners Blitz campaign, placing huge 15ft banners in roadside fields with slogans such as “Yes! Yes! Yes! to British Pork” and “Made in Britain – perfect British bacon”. East Anglia is one of the UK’s strongholds of pig farming. In 2009, there were 414,000 registered pigs in Suffolk and the county has more than 100 specialist producers. But farmers are coming under increasing financial strain because the price of feed-wheat has more than doubled in the past few months to £200 a tonne because of poor harvests around the world. This has increased the cost of feeding pigs by 50% – but most supermarkets and processors are currently paying less, rather than more. Pig farmers currently only receive £1.37 per kg but need £1.64 per kg just to break even. They say that more customers choosing to buy British would provide a big boost to the industry and force supermarkets to pay producers more. Otherwise, many producers say they may have to quit the business – leading to even higher prices for consumers.

A dairy farmer, whose animals were the first in North Yorkshire to be infected with foot-and-mouth disease, says farming still faces a greater threat. William Lambert, from Hawes in the Yorkshire Dales, says that the cost of producing milk is far higher than what it sells for. He believes the wish for cheap food is destroying small family-run farms. Mr Lambert lost more than 200 animals during the foot-and-mouth outbreak in 2001. After foot-and-mouth was first detected in February 2001, Mr Lambert says he thought they might be safe due to the remote location of the farm. But on March 6, 2001, he noticed one of his cows was unwell: "I have a book on veterinary cattle and I looked up the symptoms and it took me to a page on foot-and-mouth. I rang the local vet who said don’t worry I’m sure it won’t be. When he got to the farm he knew straight away that it was foot-and-mouth as he’d been involved in the previous outbreak in the 60s." From then on Mr Lambert says he felt that he’d lost control of his farm and it soon became clear that the animals, both cattle and sheep, would have to be slaughtered. "They didn’t have a plan at that point and it was decided to slaughter them on the farm. It was very hard for us to have to see that happen. I was supposed to keep out of the way and stay in the house and drink tea but I just couldn’t do it. I had to see that everything was done properly. I still get a lump in my throat just talking about it. It was a lifetime’s work, I knew the cattle so well that they were all individuals." In all more than 200 animals were slaughtered and then their carcasses were burnt on the farm.