Meat Promotion Wales - English

HCC – MakingThe Difference

PGI: Our MarkOf Distinction


CONFERENCE UPDATE FOR HCC STAKEHOLDERS Autumn 2004

Butchers StrikeGOLD p.8

SAM TÂN –He’s Our Man p.3

COURSEWORK p.5

SPEAKERS’CORNER SpringConference Report p.7

hcc_bulletin_08 12/11/04 1:29 PM

� HCC Bulletin �2

MEETTHE

TEAM

PGIGIVES WALES

THE EDGEby Rees Roberts, HCC Chairman

SIAL of ApprovalFor PGIWelsh Meat

Welcome to Hybu Cig Cymru’sAutumn Bulletin, aiming to bringyou and our other stakeholdersup to date with HCC’s activitiesat home and abroad on yourbehalf.

Our industry has won animportant marketing edge bysecuring PGI status for WelshLamb and Welsh Beef – one thatHCC has strongly promoted overthe past year.

PGI – Protected GeographicalIndication status – preventsimitation, is a fillip forproducers, gives an extra boostto exporters and reassuresbuyers – all helping to giveWelsh red meat a competitiveedge.

HCC’s work with PGI, alongwith our wide range of otheractivities to support the Welshred meat supply chain, isfeatured in the following pages.I hope you find them of interest.

It’s PGIdeal! Welsh red meat’s newPGI EU status has won plenty offriends across the continent this year– including a major new Italiansupermarket chain.

The new forty-store hypermarket dealwas agreed at five-day Paris trade showSIAL, where HCC, helped by WelshAssembly Government Minister CarwynJones (pictured above with Stewart Pope,HCC Marketing Manager) brings togetherWales’ leading exporters and Europeanbuyers.

HCC Chairman Rees Roberts told

buyers the PGI success story. “WelshLamb and Welsh Beef PGI-brandedproducts now carry an EU assurance oforigin, quality and traceability,” he said.

“You can be totally confident that whenyou buy Welsh Lamb or Welsh Beef PGIproducts – they carry an assurance oforigin, quality and traceability.

“And of course – first class taste andflavour.”

Published by:Hybu Cig Cymru/Meat Promotion WalesPO Box 176, Aberystwyth. SY23 2YAe-mail: [email protected]: www.hccmpw.org.ukTelephone: 01970 625050

GWYNHOWELLS,HCC ChiefExecutive

PRYSMORGAN,HCC IndustryDevelopment

STEWARTPOPE,HCCMarketing

BRYANREGAN,HCC Financeand Admin-istration



Welsh farmers made athree-day fact-finding tourto a French farm andsupermarket.

The forty farmers gained agreater understanding ofEuropean competitors andmarket needs. They were alsoHCC’s producerrepresentatives on stand for aday at the Paris trade show,SIAL.

“HCC was pleased tomatch-fund this fact-findingtour. The group was able tolearn more about Europeandemand during the visit,” saidPrys Morgan, HCC IndustryDevelopment Manager.

Sali And SamCater For KidsSali And SamCater For Kids

FRENCHLESSONS

Welsh TV favourites Sali Mali and Sam Tân visited HCC’sfirst-ever Children’s Day at the Royal Welsh CentenaryShow.

The popular S4C characters helped hand out free gifts tochildren visiting the stand – where they learned about the benefitsof a healthy diet.

For the first time at a show HCC laid on specially devisedbilingual interactive games for the children to discover food factsand pick up health hints.


Everyone loves the RoyalWelsh Show and HCC playeda leading part in theCentenary party.

The Show is always thehighlight of the agriculturalyear and proved a high profileand busy week for HCC staffand stakeholders.

Carwyn Jones, Minister forEnvironment, Planning andCountryside, was guestspeaker at HCC’s on-standbreakfast.

Visitors were able to findout about the wide range ofindustry support workundertaken on their behalfover the past year and Welshcompanies linked up withbuyers at the annualshowpiece.

Top chefs (far right)cooked up plenty ofinterest at HCC’s stand,demonstrating mouth-watering recipes thatproved popular withRoyal Welsh Show-goers and ChairmanRees Roberts (picturedright).

Showgoers throng to HCC’s stand and hear

WAG Minister Carwyn Jones (right).


It’s SHOWTIMEROYAL

WELSH

It’s Fingerprintin’ Good!HCC’s latest research project – using DNA geneticfingerprinting techniques – may give Welsh farming avital edge.

A new HCC traceability parentage trial was launched onthree farms in November to see if the blood test-basedscheme can be used to back up the PGI status of Welsh redmeat products.

Cyril Lewis (pictured middle right) of CAMDA, is helpingto trial the New Zealand Catapult Shepherd scheme.

The performance recording trials will run until April 2005,when a full assessment of viability will be made.

The RoyalWelsh Show IsStill Everyone’sFavourite



Alan Gardner, FUW Vice

President; Peredur Hughes, NFU Cymru President;

Louise Owen, Wales YFC representative; Graham

Shortland, MD Hamer Int. and Gerwyn Davies,

Farming Connect Facilitator, joined others for

HCC’s “Selection For Slaughter” course, at Hamer

International’s plant at Llanidloes.

As Seen On TV

A very worthwhile exercise that can save money and takes upjust a few hours of a farmer’s time – that’s the verdict of ateam of industry leaders on Hybu Cig Cymru’s courses on howto select finished lambs.

“It’s human nature that farmers think they are the best judgesof their own stock,” said NFU Cymru President, Peredur Hughes,“But I’ve been judging lambs all of my life and I’ve certainlylearned something here today.”

FUW Vice President Alan Gardner agreed. “That’s why it is soimportant to get farmers to attend these special days – so that theycan see how good their judgement of their animals really is.

“Farmers must hone their skills – post-CAP reform it will beimportant if extra pounds can be made on each carcass.”

Thirty, three-hour courses at abattoirs throughout Wales coverthe following topics:

� The EUROP grid

� Killing out percentage

� Characteristics of breeds

� Current consumer demand

� Abattoir requirements

� Hygiene requirements - farm andabattoir

“These Farming Connect courses seek toraise awareness of consumer and marketdemands by giving hands-on experience inselecting live lambs,” said HCC’sTechnology Transfer Officer, Dewi Hughes.

To book a course at a local abattoircontact HCC’s Dewi Hughes on 01970 625050.

HCC is telling millions of TV viewersacross England and Wales that WelshLamb is “Passion On A Plate”.

A new HCC television advertisingcampaign for Welsh Lamb hit TV screensduring November.

The advert’s slogan – “Passion On APlate” – follows shots of a Welsh lambjoint that is lovingly cooked and served up,accompanied by the voice of Welsh actorPhillip Madoc.

“We have made a food-lover’s advertrecreating lamb’s “sizzle appeal” to get thetastebuds going,” said HCC’s MarketingManager, Stewart Pope.

“Our consumer research told us therewas scope to develop the influential ABC 1audience in England and Wales.”

On Course TOn Course To Ao AChoice SelectionChoice SelectionOn Course To AChoice Selection


Add new skills to best practice andkeep your business ahead of thegame – that’s the message behindHCC’s Farming ConnectDemonstration Farm Programme.

Eight working farms, owned andmanaged by commercial farmers, are backed up by HCC’stechnical and specialist advice.

Regular open days and farmer-run business developmentmeetings ensure a wide number of enthusiastic producers learnhow to fuse traditional techniques with the latest technology.

Farm open days demonstrate methods of improvingcommercial performance on the farm. A team of specialistadvisers work closely alongside each of the Welsh demonstrationfarms, to advise and monitor performance and the results aremade available in newsletters and the HCC website –www.hccmpw.org.uk

HCC showcases thepride of Welsh Lamb andWelsh Beef whenexhibiting at events inthe UK and Europe.

“We like to show off thevery best of our industry’sproducts wherever we go –whether Builth Wells orBarcelona,” said HCC ChiefExecutive Gwyn Howells.

“A display cabinet full ofquality joints, cuts and multiplepacks, all bearing our easilydistinguishable branding, firmlyflies the Welsh flag – andalways attracts plenty ofattention,” he said.


CAMDA BONANZAThe October CAMDA Ram sale sawaverage ram prices soar to nearly fourtimes that of 2003 values, reinforcingthe link between HCC-supportedbreeding programmes and enhancedmarket value. Sale averages on the dayfor rams was £1,257 compared to lastyear’s £317.

Products On Parade

Brian Bown, above, of Tre Wyn Farm, Anglesey, an HCC

Demonstration Farm.

Julie Jones, left, brings farmers up to date on HCC work.

Demo DaysDemo DaysPPoint Theoint TheWWayay

Demo DaysPoint TheWay



Lars Hoelgaard, Director of Livestock Products, DGAgriculture at the European Commission, led a teamof top speakers at HCC’s Spring Industry Briefing2004 at Aberystwyth.

His keynote address focussed on a number of topics – CAP reform,

EU Agricultural policy, European enlargement, international trade and the

World Trade Organisation talks and their impact on the livestock sector.

Rory O’Sullivan, Head of Agricultural & Fisheries Policy Division at

the National Assembly For Wales, also led a session on “Implementing

The Technicalities Of CAP Reform In Wales.” HCC Scholar, Richard

Tudor (pictured bottom right) spoke on Farming in South America.

HCC’s own industry team

spoke on marketing, promotion

and industry development issues

and detailed the work the red

meat body had carried out in the

previous ten months, since

launch in April 2003.

“The conference brought

together stakeholders from across

Wales to discuss market trends,

industry advancements and

political issues of direct relevance

to the red meat supply chain

here,” said HCC Chief Executive

Gwyn Howells.

Trend Spotting

On The Road With Elwen…HCC toured schools and colleges throughout Wales to showWelsh red meat is best in class.

Elwen Roberts, HCC’s Consumer Executive, organised twopan-Wales roadshows and met with education professionalsto present HCC’s package of teachingmaterials.

A Spring school roadshow was launchedby Minister Carwyn Jones at Cardiff HighSchool and went on to visit venues throughoutWales, encouraging children to learn about abalanced and nutritious diet.

Elwen hit the road again in Autumn with theHCC College Roadshow. This tour helpedstudents understand – through free tuition – thebenefits of adding Welsh red meat to the menu.

Spring Conference Speakers

Look To The Future

Lars Hoelgaard (third left and above, speaking) and Rory

O’Sullivan (fourth left) joined HCC’s Chief Executive Gwyn

Howells (left) and Chairman Rees Roberts (second left) at the

HCC Spring Conference.

“The conference

brought together stake-

holders from across

Wales to discuss market

trends, industry

advancements and

political issues”


Eleven butchers fromacross Wales won tophonours and goldtrophies at HCC’s first-ever All Wales MeatAwards Final atNewtown in July.

The finalists beat offthe competition in earliernorth and south Walesheats held in Llandudnoand Swansea. Over 500products were enteredoverall in the heats.

Respected industryfigures and consumerrepresentativesprofessionally evaluatedthe finalists.

Bryn Hughes, (pictured right) and Nigel Scollan won thisyear’s Farming Connect Sheep and Beef DevelopmentProgramme Scholarship.

Bryn, farm manager at the Coleg Gwent farm in Usk, Gwent,studied the American quality beef industry in Illinois, beforetravelling westwards through Iowa, Wisconsin, Wyoming andMontana.

Nigel Scollan, principal research scientist at the Institute ofGrassland and Environmental Research, (IGER), at Aberystwythwill be studying the current state and future direction of theAustralian beef industry in February 2005.

On their return, they will present details of their tour to theWelsh farming industry.


Butchers Strike Gold

Scholar’s Success

Keeping you in touch with the worldwide market- that’sHCC’s new website – www.hccmpw.org.uk – with more

than 1500 lively pages.Tens of thousands of visitors each month view a popular,

updated market price section and check out news of HCC’swide range of activities.

On-site, farmers can sign up for free weekly Welsh Lamband Welsh Beef market prices sent direct to their mobile phone.

Readers will find the latest market intelligence in a monthlydownloadable Welsh Market Bulletin; info on breeding,benchmarking, demonstration farms and animal health plansand consumer tips, cookery events and recipes.


PGI: Our MarkOf Distinction


CONFERENCE UPDATE FOR HCC STAKEHOLDERS

Autumn 2004

Butchers StrikeGOLD p.8

SAM TÂN –He’s Our Man p.3

COURSEWORK p.5SPEAKERS’CORNER SpringConference Report p.7

Keeping In Touch



Using a Herd HealthScheme can boost yourgross margins by up to20% a year – wortharound £75 per cow.

Testing to maintain herdhealth is available with HCC’sFarming Connect support toWelsh beef farmers.

HCC figures show that herdgross margin (before forage)rose by £4,875 from £24,470to £29,345- equivalent to sellingnine additional calves each year.

Higher sales were achievedby increasing conception rates from 79% to 93%, and bydecreasing calf mortality from 12% to 8%.

“Dealing with disease problems will allow surplusbreeding stock to be sold for a premium in future,” said HCCIndustry Development Manager Prys Morgan. One farmerwho successfully applied to use the scheme was AlunEdwards (pictured above), of Cae Coch, Dolgellau.

EID: TheRace To TraceThe search is on for a simple system of low-cost electronicidentification to boost red meat traceablility and ease Welshfarm management.

The Welsh Electronic Identification (EID) Evaluation Project,delivered in association with the Institute of Grassland andEnvironmental Research (IGER) and funded by Farming Connect,is a two-year HCC project looking at four different electronicsystems. Some 32 Welsh enterprises (17 sheep and 15 cattle)joined the national trials, due to conclude mid-2005.

“We are seeking a system that meets EU legislation, isfunctional for the farmer and easy on the pocket,” said PrysMorgan, HCC’s Industry Development Manager.

TECH HELPA range of technicalbooklets written by HCC’sIndustry DevelopmentTeam and covering adviceand practical informationfor the farmer areavailable for downloadfrom www.hccmpw.org.uk

SHORN FREEFree shearing trainingcourses were a big hit withalmost 500 farmers acrossWales. HCC’s link-up withthe British Wool MarketingBoard opened the door to90 days of free trainingthis year.

NEWS BITES • NEWS BITES • NEWS BITES • NEWS BITES

© B

ritis

h W

ool M

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Boar

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EID trialist, Greg Evans

Think Herd HealthThink Herd Health– Boost Profits– Boost ProfitsThink Herd Health– Boost Profits


SHELF SERVICE


Pictured are just a few of the range

of promotional materials produced

this year.

Promoting the PGI message – that’s a newshelf barker, which stresses to shoppers themerits of PGI status Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef.

“Supermarket visitors who see thepromotional shelf clip are left in no doubtthat a succulent treat is close at hand,” saidStewart Pope, HCC’s Marketing Manager.

The unique merits of quality red meat from Waleswere widely featured in promotional campaigns in UKindependent butchers and supermarkets.

HCC supplied independent retail butchers across Wales with arange of point-of-sale (POS) kits to help promote Welsh Lamb andWelsh Beef.

In-store point-of-sale materials, a window frieze and postersspearheaded Wales’ first-ever St David’s Day promotion for retailshops and independent retail butchers. Next up in May was a kit tomark the beginning of National Barbecue Week, comprising ofposters, window banners and consumer recipes.

Heartwarming recipes – “Autumn Comforts” – were thecentrepiece of a POS kit depicting three new dishes for WelshLamb and Welsh Beef alongwith recipe booklets.

An additional Christmas kitwill be provided in time for thefestive period. The new kithighlights the increasing trendof eating beef and lamb atChristmas.

A set of supermarket point-of-sale materials, includingshelf barkers and gondolaends, highlighted quality Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beefproducts and additional activityincluded in-store competitions emphasising PGI status.

A range of trade and consumer magazine adverts were strategicallyplaced to inform consumers and retailers.

“Throughout the year the new Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef logoshave been in front of consumers across England and Wales,” saidStewart Pope, HCC Marketing Manager.

“Shoppers see Welsh products on television, in the press, in storesand on the shelves – helping our industry to differentiate from thecompetition.”

Promo PPromo Pushush‘‘Ads’ VAds’ ValuealuePromo Push‘Ads’ Value


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