Farming groups have been left 'shocked and dismayed' after Boris Johnson played down the prospect of a mass cull of pigs due to a shortage of plant staff.
The prime minister made the comments on Sunday’s Andrew Marr show when questioned on the pig sector's ongoing problems, and the likely move toward a mass cull of healthy animals.
Producers are seeing a backlog of well over 120,000 pigs on farms, with many quickly running out of space and many more at or close to the limit.
The labour shortage at processing plants has resulted in a slowing down of the throughput of pigs through plants, which is adding to the already severe backlog of pigs on farms.
When confronted with the issue on the Andrew Marr Show, Mr Johnson brushed aside farmers' concerns, claiming that this was just part of the industry.
"I hate to break it to you Andrew but our food processing industry does involve killing a lot of animals," the prime minister said.
Andrew Marr pointed out that culled animals are wasted as opposed to being sold for food, and the PM responded: "That is the reality. Your viewers need to understand that, that is just what happens.
"What you're talking again about is an issue to do with a shortage of another particular type of workforce.
"Actually, what I think needs to happen is again there is a question about the types of jobs that are being done, the pay that is being offered, the levels of automation, the levels of investment."
The chief executive of the National Pig Association (NPA) said the prime minister's comments showed 'wilful disregard' toward the industry's problems.
"This is absolutely disgusting… I’ve never seen such wilful disregard and disrespect in my life," Dr Zoe Davies said on Twitter.
"You should be ashamed Boris Johnson, this is your mess. Time to fix it."
And while the sheep sector isn't facing the worst of the supply chain problems, the National Sheep Association (NSA) said it was 'left reeling' at the 'crass and insensitive' comments.
NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said: “His comments completely ignored the fact that in the main, livestock farmers in Britain are compassionate and respectful and are focussed on producing food in a responsible manner.
"Any farmer faced with a mass cull of animals on farm is going to make sure the job is done humanely but an event such as this will undoubtedly compromise the mental welfare of the farmer and staff involved and this must be recognised.
"To raise animals and then have them disposed of as ‘rubbish’ when supermarket shelves are bare or filled with imported products is morally incomprehensible.”
It comes as pig producers staged a protest outside the Conservative Party Conference on Monday (4 October) to raise awareness of the sector's struggles.
Probed about the issue at a conference fringe event, Defra Secretary George Eustice said some in the industry had "raised issues around the language thresholds".
As a result, he said the requirement was "something I know the Home Office are looking at".
UK retailers and supermarket chains have also been asked to help the beleaguered sector, by purchasing more British pork.
The NPA sent an open letter to retailers which highlighted the issue that cheaper meat imports was having on the labour shortage in processing plants.
NPA Chairman Rob Mutimer explained that highly processed products such as gammons needed for Christmas had diverted essential butchery staff resource away from that required for British pigs.
"We have also seen other products that require no butchery being imported and prioritised over more labour-intensive British products, simply to keep the supermarket shelves full," he said.
"These two issues combined have resulted in a slowing down of the throughput of British pigs through plants, which is adding to the already severe backlog."
Mr Mutimer also said that some retailers, who had to date been supportive of British supply chains, were now considering buying EU pork because 'it is much cheaper'.
"This would make our situation so much worse to the point that many more pig producers, in addition to those responsible for the 27,500 sows we already know about, would have no choice but to exit the industry."
NFU President Minette Batters said she has spoken to some pig producers who protested outside the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester.
She told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “They are protesting outside and they are angry, distraught and extremely upset.
I am desperate to get the facts of this story to the prime minister and that is what the pig farmers outside want to get across, the story of this disaster."
She added: “We have never had a cull of healthy livestock in this country and this cannot be a first. I can’t stress it enough, this cannot happen, there are vets outside as well. It is a welfare disaster.
“Farmers produce food for the nation and I’m very proud to do it, we have very high standards of pork production in this country and we have to solve this issue.”
