Pig industry stalwart Hugh Crabtree has been awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours, recognising over 40 years of transformative service to the sector.
A founder and director of Farmex, pioneers in pig building environmental control systems, Mr Crabtree has dedicated more than 40 years to the pig industry.
He has played a pivotal role in the success of the National Pig Association (NPA), particularly in forging strong links between producers and allied sectors.
Since the NPA’s formation in 1999, he has been actively involved, serving years as chair of its Allied Industry Group.
When the producer and allied industry groups merged in 2019, Mr Crabtree became a vice-chairman of the association until stepping down last year.
He was also a long-serving member of the NPA board and was honoured with a Lifetime Fellowship in 2019.
Though he has stepped back from his NPA roles, he remains active as a board member of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and plays a key role in AHDB’s environmental roadmap.
He also chairs the Pig Industry Scholarship Programme (PISP), supporting young people entering the pig sector.
Before his NPA involvement, Hugh was a prominent campaigner with the British Pig Industry Support Group, famously bringing ‘Winnie the Pig’ to Parliament over two decades ago to highlight the challenges facing pig farmers.
His accolades include the David Black Award (2023), the NPA Chris Brant Award (2009), and the Institute of Agricultural Engineers Award of Merit (2023).
On receiving news of his MBE, Mr Crabtree said he felt “quite overwhelmed and humbled” by the support from industry colleagues, friends, and family.
NPA chief executive, Lizzie Wilson expressed her delight: “We are absolutely thrilled to see Hugh honoured in the King’s Birthday Honours List.
"It is thoroughly deserved – no one has given more time or effort serving the pig industry in so many ways. Congratulations, Hugh, from everyone connected to the NPA."
