A British pig industry stalwart has been honoured the highest accolade available to producers for his outstanding contribution to the sector.
The David Black Award, named after a Norfolk pig farmer, has been presented to highly-recognised individuals or businesses for the past sixty years.
This year the National Pig Association's (NPA) chairman Richard Lister has scooped the coveted industry award.
Mr Lister, who farms in North Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire with 3,300 sows over four units, was praised for ensuring the industry had a 'strong voice'.
The trophy was presented by Mike Sheldon, AHDB pork sector board chairman, in the company of 500 industry peers at the National Pig Awards on 18 November in London.
He said: “Richard has been a force for good, leading the way and demonstrating, on his own unit, the benefits of investment in health and biosecurity.
“He leads the National Pig Association with a strong voice and remains determined to ensure the sector is represented fairly and accurately to the wider industry, government and consumers.
“He has frequently represented the industry in the media and has never let the sector down, shining a light on the high standards maintained to produce pork from Britain.”
Mr Sheldon added: “He demonstrated pioneering leadership, helping to establish the first ever industry targets to encourage the responsible reduction of antibiotic usage as part of the RUMA Targets Task Force.
“No other pig-producing European country has taken such a courageous approach to antibiotic stewardship with voluntary targets and we celebrate his contribution to this outstanding achievement.”
Mick Sloyan, an influential figure in the British pig industry over four decades, won the David Black Award last year.
