EU PiG – Grand Prix

EU PiG Grand Prix – Now closed

The Grand Prix is an annual EU-wide contest, with more than 300 producers competing to become one of eight EU PiG ambassadors.

By telling us their innovative ideas and best practices, developed in response to industry-wide challenges, they are showing the rest of Europe the best of what they have to offer and flying the flag for their country.

The winning producer ambassadors are invited to showcase their best practices in a range of ways, including talking to producers out and about in the industry. The Regional Pig Innovation Groups (RPIGs) also help the ambassadors to produce virtual farm tours, photos and reports, shared on this website, within the relevant 'Theme' section.

The Grand Prix identifies the top examples of best practice for each of the nominated challenges, with two new topics chosen every year for each of the project’s four key themes and for 2020, they are:

• On farm and throughout the supply chain to include national initiatives where they are supported directly by a producer

• How the analysis of slaughter data can be used to improve the health of pigs

• This could be producer-informed in-store materials, working with the retail sector or wider promotional activities to reach the end consumer. A producer must be involved, and their involvement would have to be made clear

• Producer-focused examples of how rare breeds are being promoted and marketed to aid in both preservation and as an alternative to commercially produced pork

• Focus on fatteners/slaughter pigs and adult breeding stock, e.g. dry sows

• Novel technologies, clear protocols or procedures that allow successful rearing of piglets, i.e. higher target weight at weaning and lower mortality from hyper prolific sows

• Use of management systems and styles such as LEAN management to lower the cost of production whilst maintaining or even adding value to the products from pigs

• Novel technologies and processes (Not separate) or processes and management strategies, that allow a reduction in either resource use as an input and or reductions in 'wastes' as outputs. To include reductions in greenhouse gases, plastic waste and waste energy

The 2020 Grand Prix is now closed. 

Producers were asked to complete a short entry form with details of their best practice and send it to their RPIG, who then entered them in the Grand Prix. All applicants were required to agree to the terms outlined in the EU PiG Grand Prix Privacy Policy regarding the processing of personal data. Each RPIG was also required to complete an RPIG consent form agreeing to the use of data in accordance with the applicable data protection laws.

A panel of experts for each of the project themes have run a rigorous evaluation process, looking at technical and economic factors, to narrow it down to the top five best practices for each of the eight challenges.

Are you interested to see those best practices that reached the top ten for the two challenges under the themes of meat quality and health management?

The eight winners will then be selected by RPIGs, project partners, and stakeholders and awarded the title of EU PiG ambassador.

Producers are asked to suggest what they think future challenges for the industry will be.  Please get in touch with your Regional Pig Innovation Group (RPIG) leader to let them know.

For more information contact EUPig@ahdb.org.uk