BORIS JOHNSON has been accused of throwing the pig industry under the bus, despite warnings of a ‘horrific pig welfare cull’ which could push the sector to the ‘brink of extinction.’

The UK farming sector has been left reeling following an exchange between Mr Johnson and BBC presenter Andrew Marr, where the PM brushed off concerns at the prospect of thousands of healthy pigs having to be culled and wasted, due to a labour shortage in meat processing.

Industry leaders took the opportunity to reiterate concerns that the UK Government has delayed import checks on goods entering the UK from the EU, which not only undermines pig producers in the midst of crisis, but sends alarm bells ringing over biosecurity, with African Swine Fever sweeping through the EU.

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When pressed by Mr Marr on what plans the government has in place to help the pig sector avoid unnecessary culls, Mr Johnson shocked shocked viewers by mocking the current crisis.

“I hate to break it to you Andrew, but I’m afraid our food processing industry does involve the, erm, killing of a lot of animals, that is the reality," said Mr Johnson. "Viewers need to understand that, that’s just what happens.”

Chief Executive of the National Pig Association, Zoe Davies said the PM’s response was 'absolutely disgusting' and that she had never seen such 'wilful disregard and disrespect' in her life.

Andy McGowan of the Scottish Pig Producers said he was 'dismayed' by the PM’s 'callous disregard' for the difficult situation the pig industry was enduring, but pointed out that this was in keeping with the lack of concern being shown for the African Swine Fever outbreak sweeping through Europe, and the fact that pork is being imported into the UK from regions such as Germany, which is the midst of an outbreak.

“We have a notifiable disease raging across EU states, yet there are no controls or checks on products coming in. This not only undermines our pork industry here, by filling the marketplace with cheaper meat, but threatens the biosecurity of the UK pig herd,” said Mr McGowan.

He added that the main labour shortages are being felt in secondary processing such as butchery, and that they are calling for Covid recovery visas for 12 to 18 months to access overseas labour.

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"Another possible solution we are exploring is to increase frozen product sales to places like the Philippines and China – who take almost entire carcasses," he continued, but added that prices globally are catastrophic, so it would be a financially painful move.

NFU Scotland’s Pigs Committee chair Jamie Wyllie added: “The labour crisis across the whole Scottish pig sector is driving a backlog of pigs on Scottish pig farms and a collapse in price that is rapidly eroding confidence. Almost all pigs are now being sold at a loss and the UK Government must wake up and take immediate action to address the shortfall in staff that is crippling the sector."

There are reportedly 120,000 pigs backed up on farms UK-wide and around 12,000 here in Scotland. Mr Wyllie called on UK retailers to back home-produced pork instead of turning to imported products at this pressing time.

“It remains extremely disappointing that, because the UK Government has failed to introduce checks at border control points, those importing pork from the EU are able to do so without facing the same costs and bureaucracy as any UK company looking to export pork to the EU. It will be the New Year before the UK Government puts a level playing field in place, handing a competitive advantage to European pig producers until then.”

Addressing the PM's 'crass and insensitive' comments regarding possible pig culls, NSA chief executive Phil Stocker, said: “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.”

North-east Scotland MP, Richard Thomson, accused the Prime Minister of not recognising the gravity of the situation.

“It seems this Prime Minister is content to turn a deaf ear, a blind eye and allow a massive animal welfare and environmental disaster unfold, as well as see the pig industry brought to the brink of extinction.”

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has said that responsibility for animal welfare during any emergency on the farm remains with the owner or keeper and that there should be contingency plans in place to ensure the welfare of their animals.

A Government spokesperson said: “We understand the challenges that the pig industry has faced in recent months because of the Covid-19 pandemic, labour shortages, accessing CO2 supplies, and reduction in exports to the Chinese market. We are keeping the market situation under close review and working closely with the sector during this time.”