PIG FARMERS from all over the country are marching on Westminster today to protest about the deteriorating economics of their industry, and they’ll be marching to the tune of late country singer Tammy Wynette.


Popular on LondonNet


Wynette’s 1960s song Stand by Your Man has been re-written as Stand By Your Ham and pig farmers hope its release as a single will drum up support for their cause. Pig farmers say they are in desperate straits, with UKP26 lost on each pig they rear.

“The move out of pigs has already started and if it gathers pace, it will be too late to do anything about it,” said chairman of the Pig Executive, Stewart Houston.

The main cause of the problem for pig farmers is the huge rise in world grain prices in recent months, which has had a knock on effect for pig feed.

Although supermarkets have increased the price of pork products as a result, farmers say little of this price increase has seen its way into their empty pockets. Now they want the government to help by putting pressure on middle men to pass the price increases on down the supply chain.

Hear Stand By Your Ham here