Ask AHDB – Pork Levy Increase Proposals

[TFF]

AHDB’s Pork Sector Council would like your questions about proposals to improve services and deliver more by increasing levy rates from the start of the 2024/25 financial year.

Sector Chair Mike Sheldon will be responding to questions from levy payers at AHDB’s ‘Funding Your Future’ livestream event on 9 November.

Mike has worked in the pig industry for many years, for PIC, owning and operating his own pig farm and now as Chair of the AHDB Pork Sector Council and AHDB Board Member. He also Chairs the Sea Fish Board.

You can find out details of the proposals for the Pork Sector here: Funding Your Future 2023 – Pork | AHDB

The Sector Council are proposing an increase in levy rates to:

• Do more to regularly remind consumers and governments of the high integrity of British pig meat
• Create more impactful marketing campaigns to inspire consumers to enjoy pork and target those more likely to question meat eating
• Pursue export sales to underpin pig prices here
• Champion British pork through educational work with younger consumers and push back on mistruths surrounding the pork industry
• Ensure governments have the facts on the low environmental impact of pork production and work to ensure farmers are recognised and rewarded for the progress they make.

The Pork Live Q and A session will start at 16:00 GMT on 9 November. Any questions not responded to on the day will be answered after the event and shared in this thread.

 

[Chris F]

We’re working with AHDB to get as many questions from farmers regarding the proposed levy increases in each of the 4 sectors. As per the Defra Q&A threads we have run before, these will run with the same aims. This thread is only for questions, all commentary will be deleted.

Please read all the questions and use the upvote or downvote buttons to indicate which questions you agree with as opposed to asking the same question twice. This will allow AHDB to understand which questions are most important to farmers.

The thread is open for questions now and will close at midnight on Tuesday 7th November. The Q and A’s are being held on the 9th November and the AHDB are aiming to answer all questions on the thread after the event if they aren’t covered in the live Q and A. The livestream will be included in this thread and also ran in the header of this section on the 9th November.

Please take some time to read the information relevant to your sector and then ask your questions below.

 

[Still Farming]

Why don't you award Basis or Nroso CPD points with your annual paper or online publications please?

 

[Chris F]

Don’t forget to use the upvote and downvote buttons to select the questions you agree with the most.

 

[Annie]

AHDB's Pork sector levy proposal Q & A session is now LIVE. Watch here on The Farming Forum.

 

[AHDB]

Why don't you award Basis or Nroso CPD points with your annual paper or online publications please?

The AHDB Pig Pro service is in the process of being transferred to a commercial supplier. It is not yet known whether they will award CPD points.

 

[TFF]

AHDB levy rate increases in four sectors receive Ministerial approval

Levy rate increases proposed by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) for the Beef and Lamb, Cereals and Oilseeds, Dairy and Pork sectors have received approval from Ministers in Defra and the Devolved Administrations.

The new rates will be implemented from April 2024 and allow AHDB to maintain its focus on delivering the objectives set out in the Sector Plans, published in November 2022.

With no increase to the levy in the Beef & Lamb and Cereals & Oilseeds sectors for more than 10 years and no change in over 20 years for Dairy and Pork, the spending power of levy funds over the past decade has been reduced by up to 40%.

AHDB Chair Nicholas Saphir said: “We are pleased Ministers have approved the proposals, which will ensure the levy continues to support the work AHDB has committed to prioritising for farmers and processors across all the sectors we serve.

“The new rates will allow us to enhance our key activity whether, for example, that involves growing export opportunities or exploring further marketing campaigns in the Beef and Lamb, Dairy and Pork sectors as well as increasing our research offering to Cereals and Oilseeds producers.

“Levy payers can be assured that our commitment to helping them navigate through an unprecedented period of change for the industry is secure and we will continue to listen to their feedback to ensure we are delivering real value for money.”

The Government has also agreed that Nicholas Saphir will serve a further 12 months as AHDB Chair.

The extension to Mr Saphir’s appointment means he will remain in the role until 31 March 2025.


Approved changes to levy rates from April 2024

Beef and Lamb (levy rate last set in 2011)

Cattle (excluding Calves) Calves
Producer – £4.05 to £5.06/head of cattle Producer – £0.08 to £0.10/head of cattle
Slaughterer/Exporter – £1.35 to £1.69/head of cattle Slaughterer/Exporter – £0.08 to £0.10/head

Lamb
Producer – £0.60 to £0.75/head of sheep Slaughterer/Exporter – £0.20 to £0.25/head of sheep

Cereals and Oilseeds (levy rate last set in 2011)

Cereal grower – 46.00p/tonne to 58p/t Cereal buyer – 3.80p/t to 4.80p/t
Cereal processor (human/industrial) – 9.50p/t to 12p/t Cereal processor (feed) – 4.60p/t to 5.80p/t
Oilseeds – 75 p/t to 94 p/t

Dairy (set more than 20 years ago)

Dairy farmer – 0.06p/litre to 0.08p/l

Pork (levy rate last set in 1996)

Pig producer – £0.85 to £1.02 Pig processor – £0.20 to £0.24