Article: Introducing Mark Haighton, Pork Sector Council Member

In his role, Mark looks after the supply arrangements for Pilgrims Pride Ltd. He ensures they have the right number of pigs contracted from the right provenance and that they are scheduled to arrive at the right abattoir, at the right time, on the right day. He also liaises with retailers and their agricultural teams.

Below, we share Mark’s background, his thoughts on some of the challenges facing the sector and why he wanted to join AHDB’s Pork Council.

Mark’s background

Mark has worked in the UK pig processing sector since 1998, when he started at the Geo Adams & Sons Ltd. abattoir in Spalding. Here he was a livestock buyer, before the company was bought out by Tulip and, subsequently, Pilgrim’s Pride.

Since 2010, Mark has also been part of the Red Tractor Pig Sector Board, helping to represent the interests of UK processors and producers in the ever-changing world of legislative and consumer requirements.

Joining the Pork Council

After Andrew Saunders, Pilgrims’ previous representative, left the Pork Board, Mark felt it was important to continue to represent the industry and applied to be on the Pork Council (previously Board).

“I thought it was a good opportunity to give something back to the industry, from both a producer and processing point of view, as well as representing independent producers. I want to give support to the industry.

“The pig sector is at a crossroads. My aim for the next few years is to make sure that we still have a pig industry; to make sure that we’re not breaking the industry and making commitments that they won’t be able to meet.

“I want to help steer AHDB towards making sensible decisions that don’t have a negative knock-on effect, and also to encourage those producers who have left the sector to consider returning to it.”

Since joining the Pork Council, Mark has been surprised by the breadth of knowledge and diversity of AHDB’s teams.

“The work that goes into producing some of AHDB’s marketing and promotional work, and the benchmarking of performance from the campaigns, is impressive.

“Being on the Council is also a good way to get a better understanding of what AHDB can and can’t do, and, for example, how this ties in with promoting British pork.

“It's encouraging to see how AHDB is run and that this is being led by feedback from levy payers, for example, through the recent Shape the Future vote. It was really interesting to see how the voting options were put together and the huge amount of behind-the-scenes work that was involved developing these.”

Challenges facing the pork sector

“One of the biggest challenges the pork sector is facing now is spiralling costs and the ability to get that back from consumers and retailers – we need to get money moving through the chain.

“Labour, from an abattoir point of view, is also a challenge, as is the increasing environmental and welfare legislation our industry must adhere to.

“As a member of the Pork Council, I hope to help fine-tune AHDB’s activities and plans, to make suggestions and debate as a representative of levy payers. It is important to help producers remain productive and profitable.”

AHDB’s sector councils

AHDB’s sector councils are the voice of levy payers within AHDB. The councils are responsible for proposing the work that needs to be done on behalf of levy payers and making funding decisions about what we deliver. Each council member must be ratified by levy payers and will serve for a term of three years, with a maximum of two terms.