Bulletin - Hybu Cig Cymru

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SUMMER 2010
Bulletin
Export Strength
Page 2
Denmark
Germany
Belgium
e
Portugal
France
Italy
Spain
Greece
United Arab Emirates
Hong Kong
HCC's new
release takes
on Beyoncé
Singapore
Page 6
The 2010 Ryder Cup
Page 3.
Page 5.
Page 7.
Pushing the Margins
School Meals Quiz
Smokies Support
Page 2
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Welcome
Export Strength
Welcome to the latest edition of
Bulletin, Hybu Cig Cymru-Meat
Promotion Wales’ guide to the activites
and achievements that we have carried
out on the industry’s behalf in the last
twelve months.
As Britain struggles through the deepest
recession since the 1930s, there is at least one
piece of good news for the economy, courtesy of
Wales’ farmers and meat processors. Lamb and
beef exports from Wales were worth
£140 million to the economy in 2009, an
increase of more than £30 million over the
previous year.
An advantageous Sterling-Euro exchange
rate and a concerted marketing effort
underpinned a substantial rise in exports
and sustained higher prices but there
were further reductions in the number of
breeding ewes in the Welsh flock.
Both of these important factors could
together signal significant and longer
lasting changes for the supply chain of the
red meat industry.
The decline in flock numbers has not been
entirely reflected in lamb production. That
is because farmers in Wales are becoming
more efficient, keeping more productive
ewes, with carcase weights increasing to
meet the market demands.
While falling numbers remain of great
concern, this notable increase in
efficiency, coupled with sustained and
increased demand, offers some real cause
for optimism.
Since its inception in 2003, Hybu Cig
Cymru has worked closely with farmers to
help them reduce costs and increase
returns wherever possible. There is
evidence that the willingness and
commitment from the industry is
beginning to reap rewards. These gains will
need to continue if we are to balance
supply and demand.
The continued support that the industry
in Wales has from the Rural Development
Plan funded by the Welsh Assembly
Government and the European Union, will
continue to play a vital part in
maintaining progress towards greater cost
of production efficiency - and the goal of
better returns for every farmer in Wales.
Published by:
Hybu Cig Cymru-Meat Promotion Wales
Tŷ Rheidol, Parc Merlin, Aberystwyth SY23 3FF
01970 625 050
01970 615 148
[email protected]
www.hccmpw.org.uk
www.eatwelshlamb.co.uk
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www.hccmpw.org.uk
And with Wales hosting the 2010 Ryder Cup this Autumn – the most
watched sporting event in the world after the Olympics and World Cup
with tens of millions tuning in to the action – hopes are high that
demand for premium Welsh Lamb from abroad will rise even further.
For Welsh Lamb will be the main course at the tournament’s official
dinner, as well as being served to the the thousands who will watch the
best golfers from Europe and the United States battle it out on the
Greens of the Celtic Manor resort in Newport.
That kind of worldwide exposure is sure to create additional demand
for Welsh Lamb not only in established overseas markets, but also in
new countries.
Welsh Lamb exports alone topped £109 million in 2009, weighing in
at 33,082 tonnes, which was a year-on-year 20 per cent increase on the
2008 figure of £91.8 million. A further 9,997 tonnes of Welsh Beef
added £31 million to our export earnings.
France imported £77 million worth of Welsh Lamb in 2009, making it
the largest single market. Belgium, Italy and Germany were also major
importers of Welsh Lamb last year, while Portugal doubled the value of
its trade.
Demand was seen to be growing in the Middle and Far East. Since 2007,
the amount of Welsh Lamb exported to Hong Kong had grown from
virtually nil to be worth £500,000 last year. Dubai also increased its
orders for Welsh Lamb by more than 75 per cent in 2009.
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Premium Bond
Consumers are returning in large
numbers to premium products
and strong brands such as Welsh
Lamb, a leading market research
analyst told HCC’s conference.
Ed Garner, the Communications
Director of TNS Worldwide, said
it was part of a growing trend
that signalled, in the food sector
at least, signs that we were
beginning to pull out of the
recession.
Above: Siôn Aron Jones, Bill Joyce, Elin Jones AM, Rees Roberts (HCC Chairman), Marc Jones, Dr Martin Hodson
& Ed Garner.
Pushing the Margins
Trailblazers
Demonstration Farms play an important role
in demonstrating and promoting the
principles of business development,
environmental safeguarding and market
focus. They implement management changes
and new technologies which have yielded
considerable success in terms of improved
gross margins and sustainability.
HCC supports trailblazing research work covering a
wide range of vital activity including genetic
improvement, nutrition, animal health and the
environmental impacts of farming. The organisation
assists the development and implementation of new
technologies and information exchange that can
help to further improve the red meat industry. HCC
then communicates this research databank to the
supply chain through the red meat development
programme, new publications and the HCC website.
HCC, through the Farming Connect Red Meat
Development Programme, supports up to ten
demonstration farms at any time across Wales.
Current farms are:
- Bryntail Farm, Rhydyfelin, Pontypridd;
- Goitre Farm, Kerry, Newtown;
- Hendreseifion, Llanwrin, Machynlleth, Powys;
- Hendy, Hundred House, Powys;
- Nantyderri, Llantilion Crossenny, Abergavenny;
- Nant yr Efail, Betws yn Rhos, nr Abergele and
Pant Eithinog, Penygroes, Caernarfon;
- Bodgaeaf Isaf, Bryncroes, Pwllheli;
- Bodrida, Bryniencyn, Anglesey;
- Lan Farm, Cynwyl Elfed, Carmarthen;
- Trefgarn Owen Farm, Haverfordwest;
- Blaencwmpridd, Llandysyl.
Each enterprise undertakes a full Farm Business
Review and Farm Health Plan that forms the
basis of reduced costs and increased efficiency
and productivity during the farm's three-year
tenure. Each holds two open days a year,
facilitate one small scale project and coordinate
a discussion group.
Developments to Chew Over
IBERS, Aberystwyth, one of three Farming
Connect Development Farms, staged a highly
successful Open Day event, helping farmers to
fight climate change while improving
profitability at the same time by changing the
diet of ruminants.
IBERS, along with partners North Wyke Research,
Bangor University, Reading University and ADAS
conducted a series of experiments on animals
grazing on pasture in polytunnels which showed
how to reduce methane and nitrogen losses from
cattle and sheep during digestion.
Researchers believe that by changing the diets of
ruminants, the emission of methane - one of the
greenhouse gases - can be reduced, and returns for
farmers increased.
Demonstration Farms at Gelli Aur, Llandeilo and
Glynllifon, Pwllheli, also aid research and
demonstrate the latest technological gains to beef
and sheep farmers within the Farming Connect
Red Meat Development Programme.
www.hccmpw.org.uk
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Work Accelerates on Red Meat Project
Work has progressed well since Welsh Assembly Government Rural Affairs Minister,
Elin Jones announced a £4.5 million boost for the Welsh red meat industry through the
Rural Development Plan.
HCC manages three new projects under the RDP for Wales 2007 - 2013: to assess all new
innovations and to present them to the industry; a Genetic Improvement programme, and
co-ordination of Economic/Market Intelligence and benchmarking activity. The projects were
part financed by the European Union through the European Agriculture Fund for Rural
Development (EAFRD) and the Welsh Assembly Government.
Above: Elin Jones AM
Tours de France
Climate Claims
HCC organised a study tour
for 34 farmers from Powys to
the Sommet de l'Elevage
event in Clermont-Ferrand.
The farmers visited the show
and spent two days visiting
beef farms and pedigree
breeders in the region.
Climate Change has been a dominant theme for both politicians and the
media over the last 12 months.
Members of the National
Suckler Strategy Group
organised another study tour to
the influential SIA Paris
agricultural show, host to more
than 600,000 visitors and
visited local farms to observe
Parthenaise cattle chosen for its
excellent fertility, ease of calving
and its beef qualities.
HCC offers 50 per cent funding
support - up to £200 per farmer
- through the Rural
Development Plan towards
study tours and are inviting
structured groups to get in
touch with proposals.
Pork Spies
Nine pig farmers, the winners of
HCC’s Pork Initiative, flew out to
Italy to visit a pig farm, a Parma
ham factory, an Italian
supermarket and the Tutto Food
Exhibition in Milan, part of
HCC’s on-going drive to
promote Welsh red meat in Italy.
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www.hccmpw.org.uk
A United Nations report claiming that
agriculture accounts for 18 per cent
of Greenhouse gas emissions is
widely quoted by critics of the
farming industry in an attempt to
reduce the level of livestock farming.
But the report, prepared for the UN
by the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change, is now being
reviewed after academics pointed out
that its agricultural findings were
flawed.
In fact the contribution of UK red
meat farming to global warming is
similar to the computer or shipping
industries.
According to Dr. Martin Hodson of
Oxford Brookes University, an
international climate change expert
who attended HCC’s annual
conference, ruminants were directly
responsible for around about 2.9 per
cent of total global warming
potential, comparing with shipping at
3 per cent and computers on 2 per
cent.
HCC is doing its part to reduce
agriculture’s contribution to climate
change still further. The organisation
is developing a strategic ‘road map’ to
assist improved production methods
and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
to demonstrate to consumers who
are worried by climate change that
they can still enjoy red meat as part
of a healthy, balanced diet.
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“Stop…Caution...No Go”
A Traffic Light on-pack labeling system signalling product nutritional
content could group healthy cuts of lamb, beef and pork with more fatty
products, HCC has warned.
HCC gave evidence to the Food Standards Agency's consultation on Front of
Pack Nutrition Labelling for pre-packed foods sold through retails outlets in the
UK and advised that the proposed range was too wide, putting five per cent fat
lean beef mince in the same category as average beef mince which weighs in at
16 per cent.
Time To Get Cooking
Teachers in Wales need
more time, support and
resources to deliver diet,
nutrition and food lessons
if they are to effectively
equip our children with
the life skills to eat well,
healthily and on a
budget.
That’s the findings of a nationwide
survey of schools in Wales by HCC to
find out how cooking was taught in
their lessons and whether they used
red meat in class.
Nearly a hundred primary and
secondary schoolteachers across
Wales offered their views and advice
during the consultation.
Teachers also appealed for more
resources they could use during their
lessons. These calls have now been
taken on by HCC and have formed
the core of the new education
strategy.
The survey found, among other
concerns, that there was still
inadequate practical time for children
to prepare and cook meals and then
clean up in a 55 or 60 minute
extended session.
Cool 2 Cook 2, the second edition of
the popular children’s cook book
produced by HCC, is available to
schools offering advice and
inspirational ideas for recipes that
young people can prepare in class.
Basic materials were in short supply,
oven space hard to allocate and
sometimes children were stuck
because parents could not supply
ingredients for practical sessions.
Schools will also have access to a
dedicated education section on the
EatWelshLamb website with
teaching resources they can
print out for use in class.
HCC will continue to press for
food, diet and nutrition to have a
stronger presence in the school
curriculum and will play its part by
seeking to add to its already busy
programme of activity to highlight
the role of red meat in a balanced
diet.
www.hccmpw.org.uk
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Natural, Healthy…and Welsh
Breathtaking countryside, featured in HCC’s current
advertising campaigns, adds to the natural and healthy
image of food produced in Wales, HCC's Chief Executive
Gwyn Howells informed Assembly Members.
HCC gave evidence to the Welsh Assembly's Rural Development Sub Committee's
inquiry into the production and promotion of Welsh food, stressing HCC's mission
was to develop markets to increase returns and profitability for Welsh
farmers and others. Product quality and a high brand image were crucial for the
successful promotion.
Forget Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and JLS, a new release from HCC
is sure to be a hit among farmers
Gaining knowledge has never been easier thanks to a HCC initiative that allows farmers to
listen to information in their cars and tractors.
You can now download two of HCC's popular information booklets as audiobooks in English and
Welsh.
Above: Beyoncé
HCC's Practical Sheep Nutrition booklet and Lameness factsheet are now available as MP3s that
people can listen to in their tractors or on their iPods. If the pilot project is successful, HCC plans
to make more of its publications available in this format.
The audiobooks can be downloaded from the HCC website, www.hccmpw.org.uk
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www.hccmpw.org.uk
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Fluke Rise
Breakfast Toast
A new HCC fact sheet advised farmers
how to combat and prevent Liver
Fluke after results from Welsh
abattoirs showed that occurrence of
the parasite had steadily risen in
cattle with one in four showing signs
of the infection.
Rees Roberts, Chairman of HCC,
toasted a “buoyant” demand at home
and abroad for Welsh Lamb, boosting
sales overseas and improved prices for
producers at home, when he spoke at
a reception to celebrate Farmhouse
Breakfast Week.
Coach and Courses
A scheme to assign a ‘project coach' to provide training for the red meat processing sector in food hygiene, health and
safety and animal welfare and maximise their efficiency, ensure product quality and provide opportunities for business
development was introduced by HCC for small and medium sized abattoirs and processors. The Quality Management
Procedures initiative was funded by the Rural Development Plan.
Smokies Support
The latest move to legalise skin-on
sheep meat, which could be worth
£3 million to the Welsh livestock
industry, has been welcomed by
HCC.
Research by HCC and the FSA found
that smokies could be safely
produced in abattoirs and could be
worth around £3 million to the
livestock industry in Wales.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has
written to the European Commission
seeking to change the law which bans
the production of skin-on sheep meat
(smokies).
HCC Chief Executive Gwyn Howells
said: “We welcome the efforts by
the Food Standards Agency to call
for a change in the law.
Whispering grass
Christmas Cheer
Trailer on Tour
A new DVD, described by HCC as “a
library of grassland management
techniques”, was produced by HCC
and its UK counterparts. It included
interviews with farmers from across
Wales and other parts of the UK and
highlighted best practice and advice
on how to get the most out of their
land.
A coordinated December Christmas
marketing campaign to encourage
festive alternative sales to traditional
turkey centered on HCC’s
well-received television advert
featuring the voice of Hollywood
actor Matthew Rhys. HCC’s TV
adverts for Welsh Lamb and Welsh
Beef also starred alongside Cerys
Matthews, Bryn Terfel and the Welsh
rugby team at the Felinfoel Celt Fest
held at the Cardiff International
Arena.
HCC staff teamed up with the Welsh
Assembly Government on their Wales
the True Taste trailer to demonstrate
the new Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef
recipes using products from Welsh
food companies. During the tour, the
trailer visited Cardiff, Haverfordwest,
Llanelli, Llansamlet, Swansea,
Maesteg, Treforest, Wrexham and
Bangor.
in a huge economic boost for
farmers and bring a halt to the
illegal production and sales of this
meat. ”
However, the process of changing the
law is expected to take several years
to complete and until then the
production of smokies remains illegal.
“If the European Commission
agrees to allow smokies to be
produced safely and hygienically in
UK slaughterhouses it would result
www.hccmpw.org.uk
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Eirion Goes Down Under
Show and Tell
A team of exporters from Wales
attended the world's biggest food fair,
Anuga, in Germany, to meet and talk to
key buyers as part of a sales drive
across Europe.
HCC and industry partners also promoted
PGI Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef at the
Sial trade show in Lyon, the Gulfood
festival in Dubai, the International Food
and Drink Exhibition in London, HOFEX
trade show in Hong Kong and the Tutto
Food Fair in Milan as part of efforts to
increase exports of Welsh Lamb and
Welsh Beef.
8
Eurion Thomas, the latest winner of the Hybu Cig
Cymru Scholarship, travelled to New Zealand
earlier this year and spent the majority of his
time on the country's south island. During a
five-week tour, Mr. Thomas attended one of the
country's biggest agricultural events, the
Southern Field Days, and visited some of the best
farmers in the region to see how they manage
grassland for livestock production.
He also wrote an online blog of his experiences,
which appeared on HCC’s eatwelshlamb website,
and which gave readers a blow-by-blow account
of his time in New Zealand.
Cutting Edge
Sixty chefs and key food service meat buyers in Berlin viewed a
cutting and presentation demonstration backed by HCC in
September. German chefs also presented a variety of dishes for
industry guests to discover the versatility of PGI Welsh Lamb.
Bari High
Ram Raid
More than 200 business executives from
Italy's leading meat importers and
supermarkets heard how Welsh farmers’
industry-leading standards of production
and the way that PGI quality Welsh Lamb
could boost their sales during a major
promotional event organised by HCC’s
marketing team in Bari, southern Italy.
More than a hundred of Wales' top performing rams were bought
at a ram sale in Aberystwyth.
www.hccmpw.org.uk
Farmers from across Wales attended the sale at Plas Gogerddan,
Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences in
Aberystwyth, part of HCC's Breed Improvement Programme and
funded through the Rural Development Plan.
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Recipe for Success
Ad-vantage Welsh Lamb
The Cool2Cook recipe book has
been a fantastic success since its
launch. More than 30,000 copies
bursting with attractive recipes
combined with a strong healthy
living message aimed squarely
at children have been distributed
by HCC.
An independent survey of shoppers
in the important trade
battleground of Southern England
found that recognition of Welsh
Lamb grew again this year
following HCC’s advertising
campaign - making Welsh Lamb
once again the most recognised
lamb brand.
In fact, demand for Cool2Cook has
been so great in schools and
colleges or at agricultural or
industry/education related shows that
it is now in its third re-print. It has been
requested by schools in other parts of
Britain keen to show their pupils how cooking
and a healthy, balanced diet go hand-in-hand.
The book makes cooking easy for young people with recipes ranging from
“spider-shaped burgers” to “pit-stop sausages” and contains advice on
hygiene and maintaining a healthy balanced diet.
A new edition is being produced and will be distributed to schools
throughout Wales and beyond during the Autumn of 2010.
London Eyes Welsh Lamb and Beef
Senior Parliamentarians and national and international media saw Welsh
Lamb and Welsh Beef feature strongly at a special Christmas Market in
New Covent Garden, London, for British foods which have been awarded
PGI status. Londoners were again fortunate in February when HCC provided
free samples of Welsh Lamb at The True Taste Welsh Food Market in Soho's
Golden Square.
The research, showed that a growing
number of people in the region –
75 per cent - agree that they can
trust Welsh Lamb and that 66 per
cent said it is the brand for them. The
survey found that 88 per cent of
consumers in the south of England
found the messages in the adverts
believable and two thirds said they
are more likely to buy Welsh Lamb as
a result.
On home turf in Wales, the results
were even more positive, with 96 per
cent saying Welsh Lamb was
something they would be happy for
their whole family to eat and
81 percent saying they would choose
Welsh Lamb over lamb from other
countries.
Crunch Tackled
How to survive the credit crunch tightening costs, increasing efficiency
and selling what the market requires.
Above: Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef feature strongly at the True Taste Welsh Food Market in London's
Soho.
Robert Forster, the former chief
executive of the National Beef
Association, told farmers at a meeting
organised by HCC and Farming Connect
in Cowbridge that a reduction in UK and
European breeding cows, more protein in
the diets of developing countries, South
America exports being hit by Brazilian
Beef price rises and an Argentinean
Government curb in exports would all
contribute towards sustaining the price
of slaughter cattle.
www.hccmpw.org.uk
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Deficiency Dangers
HCC welcomed a draft report published by the Scientific
Advisory Committee on Nutrition into the dangers of iron
deficiency that highlighted the benefits of eating red meat as
part of a healthy balanced diet.
Luke Warms up the Royal Welsh
The 2009 FutureChef competition winner, 16
year old Luke Thomas from Connah's Quay,
cooked up well-received Welsh Lamb dishes on
the HCC stand at the Royal Welsh Show for
passing showgoers. HCC’s Elwen Roberts
hosted cooking demonstrations along with S4C
celebrity chef Dudley Newbury.
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celebrity chef Bryan Turner on Market Kitchen,
screened on the UK Good Food Channel. He
prepared a Welsh Lamb dish with quality meat
supplied by HCC.
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When Old Meats New
HCC published a series of seasonal bilingual recipe books as
well as other point-of-sales promotional material for
butchers throughout the year.
Other events saw Elwen attend and demonstrate
cooking and food preparation at the Urdd National
Eisteddfod at Llanerchaeron; Anglesey Children's
Festival at the Mona Showground with school
meals supplier Eden Food Service, who provide
Welsh meat to schools and also visit Nursing in
Practice, a major conference in Cardiff, that brings
together more than 200 nurses who work in GP
practices across South Wales and the South West
of England.
Top & Above: HCC’s Elwen Roberts hosting cooking
demonstrations with Luke Thomas and attending the Nursing in
Practice conference in Cardiff.
Topical Heat
HCC published its first ‘Hot Topic' article in
March, on how to prevent infections in
newborn lambs. Available through the website,
and written by industry experts, these
informative features help bring farmers up to
date on important contemporary issues and
cover areas including beef and sheep
husbandry issues and grassland management.
10
www.hccmpw.org.uk
The new recipes ranged from traditional meals such as Welsh
Lamb and Spring Veg Broth; Welsh Lamb suet pudding and a
Welsh Lamb, liver and mushroom pate to more exotic new
ideas like Welsh Lamb Kebabs with Pineapple, Soy and Chilli
sauce, Crispy Welsh Lamb Breast with Chinese Five spice, Welsh
Lamb green chilli korma and a Welsh Beef curry with lager and
tomatoes.
Welsh Beef recipes also contained some fresh new ideas such
as the Welsh Beef and Apricot curried pasties and the Chinese
Style Welsh Meatball Broth.
Iain is Top Chef
Welsh lamb’s versatility was
highlighted by Iain Sampson, 42,
head chef at Peterstone Court
Country House Restaurant and Spa,
Llanhamlach, in his winning dish at
the coveted National Chef of Wales
competition. Iain won the title
against three rivals at Coleg
Llandrillo Cymru, Rhos on Sea, in
February, collecting £2,000 prize
money and the coveted trophy.
Above: Iain Sampson presented the
National Chef of Wales award by
Graham Titchener, marketing
executive of HCC.
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The Know-How Net
Communicating industry know-how
and responding to consumer needs
in a straightforward and
easy-to-understand manner is vital.
Technology’s rapid evolution is
enabling new ways to communicate
within the supply chain, partners
and consumers and HCC now has
very many - some very new opportunities to get across key
messages to stakeholders and
consumers.
Here are just a few:
c
HCC targets selected information about the merits of Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef to key European
consumers through its website, making available articles in French, German, Italian, Arabic, Chinese
(Mandarin), Spanish and Dutch. The entire website is also available bilingually in both English and Welsh.
c
HCC added a new dimension to the way it communicated with both shoppers and farmers when it launched
a new video service via its websites. The first two minute video featured FutureChef 2009 winner Luke
Thomas preparing for the competition and talking about how he got started in cooking and what he hoped
to achieve.
c
A new simple and straightforward HCC corporate website was launched to replace the outdated original and
make it easier for to get key information swiftly and directly to supply chain stakeholders. It contains regular
updates on the latest market prices, industry developments, scholarship and training programmes as well as
providing a comprehensive news and events service, quick access to information booklets and a section on
animal health.
c
Health professionals and their patients need balanced and accurate advice on healthy eating - enter
Meatandhealth.com, with sections on how to mould lifestyles to make changes that will be beneficial for
health, advice from nutritionists and resources to health professionals.
c
HCC made available to farmers and students the chance to download two of their popular information
booklets as audiobooks in English and Welsh. With the support of the Rural Development Plan, The Practical
Sheep Nutrition booklet and Lameness factsheet became available as MP3s. If the pilot project is successful,
HCC plan to make more of its publications available in this format.
See eatwelshlamb.co.uk to give information to consumers about Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef.
www.hccmpw.org.uk
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Myrddin's Meaty Media Challenge
HCC’s “Face of Welsh Lamb”, 26-year-old Myrddin
Davies, carried out a series of promotional and
awareness activities as an ambassador for Welsh Lamb
on behalf of HCC and its stakeholders – including
a full page feature on lambing which appeared in the
Daily Mail. Welsh-speaking Myrddin works on a 180-acre
family run farm in Nant y Wrach Bach at Llanrwst near
Conwy, North Wales with his parents Gwynfor and Myra.
Above: Myrddin with his parents Gwynfor and Myra.
Welsh Lamb Famous in 15 Minutes
Downing Delight
A fifteen-minute documentary led to a massive rise in awareness of Welsh
Lamb among the population of Luxembourg. Filmed in Anglesey and
Llanidloes and starring Luxembourg celebrity chef Tatiana De Jager, it was
aired in December during prime time on the country's national television
channel, RTL.
Leading Welsh chef Bryn Williams of
London's Odette's restaurant used
racks of Welsh Lamb for the hugely
popular Taste of London event held
over four days in the capital's Regents
Park. Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef also
featured in a special EU protected
foods reception held at 10 Downing
Street and at a media roadshow in
London's New Covent Garden.
Shoppers Celebrate in
Compo Promo
Body of Evidence
HCC’s well attended carcase selection
courses at abattoirs take farmers
through the plant from lairage to
chiller and clearly illustrate the
conformations that maximise retail
returns - and those that don’t.
This year HCC also teamed up with
livestock markets to stage the
courses. It proved such a good move
at St Asaph that local farmers queued
up to take part. If any farmer wishes
to attend one of these courses, please
contact HCC on 01970 625 050.
HCC staged a number of well
subscribed competition promotions
with supermarkets over the year
including a November competition
with a UK supermarket to offer six
winners a chance to watch some of
the world's top golfers at the Ryder
Cup at Newport's Celtic Manor
Resort in October 2010.
In other HCC competitions held in
association with leading UK
supermarkets, a selection of lucky
shoppers won a case of mixed wine
delivered to their doorstep every
month for a year; a stay at some of
the country's top tourist hotspots;
and a thousand pounds worth of
vouchers for Christmas shopping.
Bulletins and Booklets
Market Bulletins are produced every month by HCC through funding from
the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007 - 2013. Throughout the year
industry information booklets were published by HCC. These included a
guide for Welsh sheep farmers to help them protect their flocks and their
businesses from the effects of disease; advice about the major threats to the
health and welfare of sheep; and a Ram Buyers Guide as part of the Welsh
Breed Improvement Scheme to assist farmers to choose and look after the
best rams, with good fertility, that compliment their sheep through improved
conformation or growth.
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www.hccmpw.org.uk
Funding Fights Infection
HCC offered farmers selective funding
to test for Johne's disease, the
infection that can take more than five
years to eradicate from an infected
farm. HCC, using RDP funding, helped
Welsh pedigree and commercial beef
farmers that were members of a
licensed cattle health scheme test up
to 100 animals each for the disease.
Banger Brushetta
Boosts Bonfire Bashes
What happens when Bonfire Night
lands in British Sausage Week? You’ve
got it- plenty of bangers. HCC’s
consumer team fired up firework
parties on the fifth with a herb
sausage bruschetta and apple and
cranberry chutney recipe. HCC also
produced a special recipe suggestion
to mark the 25th January - St
Dwynwen's Day, which is the Welsh
equivalent of St Valentine's Day.