Update from the Pork Sector Council Chair (December 2025)

Following the recent sector council meeting, Glen Nimmo shares an update on plans to protect our market as African swine fever draws ever nearer.

Last week saw your Pork Sector Council conclude the last of its formal business for 2025 with its December meeting and, accordingly, this update will bookend a year that for many has delivered stable and attractive returns across the body of levy payers.

However, we all recognise that the past is already that, and what comes next should be at the forefront of our thinking. We can see the storm clouds building on the industry’s horizon that suggest 2026 might be somewhat tougher than the last couple of years.

The shock discovery of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boar outside Barcelona in Spain has rattled European pork markets and has brutally reminded us of the impact this disease can have on export markets and the price we achieve for our product.

However, it also provides a roadmap for others to follow in terms of mitigating the impact of the trading restrictions that inevitably follow.

The Chinese government recently approved a regionalisation plan with Spain, which allowed for exports to continue to this crucial market from areas of Spain not affected by the ASF outbreak. This has been essential to ensuring that trading flows across all of Spain – and the wider EU market – have remained largely manageable.

Our industry and the UK government must use this as a clear call to arms, to work on getting a plan together to present to governments in our key export markets that will help sustain international trade in pork in the event of an outbreak on these shores.

No one can sit back and wait for someone else to do it. It will demand effort and commitment from all sides, and AHDB will help facilitate the coordination and collaboration that will be required.

Separately, and already noted in earlier updates, the Pork Sector Council has already approved funding for AHDB to investigate opportunities for "regionalisation" and “compartmentalisation”, which have the potential to limit the impact of any ASF outbreak on Great Britain’s internal market and the ability to export.

Our Animal Health and Welfare team have already begun this work, which will remain a firm priority over the course of the new year and beyond.

The impact of the Spanish ASF outbreak on European pig prices has stretched further the gap between continental sales values and those achieved by British pig producers in the domestic market.

This has inevitably driven some falls in SPP and other reference prices in recent weeks and comes against a backdrop of a stickier demand environment from processors than would ordinarily be expected at this time of year.

Fears over further dislocation in the market during the quieter January period are growing.

All of which makes it imperative that AHDB redoubles its efforts to support demand for British pork, both domestically and internationally.

As a result of a strategic review of AHDB’s priorities for the next three years, this work is likely to become more focused and targeted in nature.

British pork delivers a significant price premium to its producers compared with international markets. The work of AHDB will increasingly focus on differentiating British pork in the minds of domestic and international buyers, reinforcing why it remains a great value product for its customers.

British pork has a compelling story to tell existing and potential consumers when set against other proteins, international pork products and, increasingly, against non-meat alternatives. The importance of lean red meat in supporting healthy diets across the whole spectrum of the population is likely to be a key message we deliver over the coming years.

That is a taste of things to come from AHDB, driven by your levy investment.

The communications specialists tell me that I write too much, and that if you have made it this far in this missive, you’re likely to be close to stopping.

So, I will simply sign off and wish everyone a fantastic festive period and look forward to continuing to fight the good fight next year.