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“The Red Tractor team and I are acutely aware of the extreme difficulties faced by pig producers, and we are doing all that we can to support them. We want to give members clarity, provide peace of mind and tackle unhelpful misinformation at this time of heightened sensitivity.

“I want to reassure members that during this time, no action has been taken against any farmers where our standards on farm have not been met because of circumstances beyond their control. While members normally have 28 days to address any non-conformances, we are working with them on a case-by-case basis to offer extensions where possible.

“Non-conformances will be recorded in the usual way, as is our legal obligation. This information is valuable in demonstrating the scale of the problem and making the case for greater support for the sector in our meetings with government.

“As ever, pig welfare is the top priority for all involved. We need to make sure that proper oversight of any issues, such as overstocking are being managed in the best way possible.

“In the past month our chair, Christine Tacon, and chief executive, Jim Moseley has met with Defra minister Victoria Prentis to impress upon her the scale and impact of the supply chain problems. I also have been attending and in regular contact with Defra, the National Pig Association, NFU, processors and other industry stakeholders to ensure we are fully abreast of the challenges faced by the sector.

“We continue to back our members by encouraging millions of consumers to buy British. Throughout October we are investing more than £250,000 in digital, print advertising and social media activity.”

Stewart Houston, Red Tractor Pigs sector board chair