The NPA has begun its seek for a brand new chair, after Rob Mutimer introduced he will probably be stepping down within the spring, after 5 years within the function.
Mr Mutimer, who runs an 800-sow out of doors unit and wholesale butchery enterprise in north Norfolk together with his spouse, Helen, was first elected to the function in March 2021, having served three years as vice-chair previous to that. He was re-elected as chair in March 2024, having initially said that he didn’t intend to face once more.
“I by no means supposed to do a second time period, however circumstance meant that I wanted to,” he stated. “I agreed with the board originally of the second time period that I’d do two years, so it could give time to usher in a brand new chair, alongside the prevailing vice-chairs and Pig Trade Group for a yr earlier than the 2027 NPA elections.
“We felt that if you happen to change the entire of the PIG and the chair and vice chairs on the identical time, it may very well be very destabilising.”
He described his first three years as chair, throughout which the pig sector endured its largest disaster, as ‘extremely tough, but in addition extremely attention-grabbing and difficult’.
“I discovered an enormous quantity in that point, as properly. I’ve totally loved the problem being chair, however I’ve obtained issues happening in my very own enterprise that I need to attend to, and I additionally assume, after 5 years, the affiliation may do with a distinct pair of eyes,” he stated.
“We’ve seen loads of adjustments politically in that point and possibly I’ve change into barely weary of that. It looks like the best time to step away from it.”
Thrilling alternative
The NPA is at the moment promoting for his successor. The advert states that the NPA is on the lookout for ‘a passionate and skilled particular person in a position to symbolize British pig producers in Westminster and with stakeholders together with processors, foodservice, retailers, and to the media, in addition to working carefully with the NFU and interesting with different trade organisations’.
“Will probably be a difficult however extremely rewarding place, and a possibility to actually make your mark in speaking the function of the UK pig trade all through authorities, the broader agricultural sector and past,” the advert says.
Information of the UK pig trade is most well-liked and, as it’s a part-time function, the power to decide to not less than three days/week on common is essential, though the weekly hours required will fluctuate.
Mr Mutimer stated it could be an excellent time to take over for his successor. “It’s a fabulous trade and an ideal job for the best particular person with sufficient time to dedicate to it,” he stated.
“We’re on the lookout for somebody very a lot in contact with the trade and the way it works to offer oversight and make it possible for the affiliation is driving in the best means.
“We’re extremely fortunate for the time being – we now have obtained an especially competent and enthusiastic chief govt, with a robust workforce and a very good PIG, so it truly is the right time to tackle the function and assist steer the trade by way of what will definitely be an attention-grabbing and thrilling few years.”
