How does a small trade association attempt to buck the European Union market in pigmeat and prevent further price falls in Britain caused by over-supply on the continent?
This will be the sole question under consideration when NPA staff and senior elected officers take part in a state-of-the-nation pig price conference call on Monday.
Ideas are expected to major on ways to explain to processors, retailers and consumers why British pig farmers are worth special support until prices pick up.
Price recovery should start towards the end of this year, as the continental herd shrinks and better market balance is achieved.
But until then British producers are faced with some very difficult months, and a few have already decided to quit, signalling even more imports of pork from lower-welfare farms.
One course of action to be considered could be a strongly-publicised position statement by all relevant pig industry bodies (assuming they agree), including NPA, AHDB Pork, NFU, NFU Scotland, British Pig Association, Red Tractor, Pig Veterinary Society, and possibly others.
Another proposal, which could run in tandem, was put forward last night by award-winning producer David Owers — and that's for the industry to return to en mass leafleting of consumers outside Tesco and Asda supermarkets, highlighting British production standards versus continental standards.
At NPA's January Producer Group meeting, members heard NPA was currently engaged in sensitising retailers and consumers to the problems faced by producers as a result of falling prices.
"It works to a degree," the meeting was told, "because if a retailer is beginning to waver on its hundred percent, a bit of publicity will help keep it in the right place."
NPA chief executive Zoe Davies said the association was just about to begin a new round of meetings with retailers when, to press home its arguments, it would cite GammonWatch and PorkWatch, and producers' diminishing share of the retail price.
"But how, in 2016, does NPA work with others to encourage consumers to eat more pork?" challenged Zoe Davies at Producer Group. "Yes, we've got AHDB Pork's phase two of Pulled Pork coming up and we support that… but is there anything else that we can do?"
Noting that in its response to AHDB Pork's business plan consultation, NPA had stressed the importance of eating quality and better presentation of pork cuts, she added, "Prices are going to be poor this year and we must all do something about it.
"I want ideas, I want enthusiasm, I want us all to think about how we can help our members. The fact that we knew it was going to happen, doesn't make it any better. I absolutely can't just sit here and watch prices drop week after week and not do everything possible to help our members."
NPA webmaster Digby Scott said, "First and foremost we must protect the premium so the best thing the whole sector can do is to be clean, in order to prevent any more damaging headlines, and that alone will be invaluable.
"So even if nobody comes up right this minute with new ways to persuade Mrs Smith to go out and buy more pork, at least we've had some winning ideas from around the table today, about how to encourage all pig-keepers to pay extra attention to detail and first impressions through 2016."
NPA chairman Richard Lister agreed. "Maintaining the differential is absolutely key. It must be our number one priority. We couldn't survive at current continental prices."
