Pastured Pigs

Do pigs fit into a regenerative farming system? Can their diet be sustainable? Can they be pastured?   

We will aim to answer all these questions and more. Whether you are looking to start keeping pigs or you are already an established pig farmer, this course is for you. 

We are delighted to welcome back animal welfare and sustainability champion, Anna Heaton, to explore the history and changes to the pig industry, welfare considerations, feed alternatives and biosecurity.  

We will hear from the following farmers:

• Helen Wade from East Leach Downs Farm has 45 organic sows with all progeny spending their entire lives outdoors, able to dig, root and graze.
• Nick & Jon Francis from Paddock Farm have transferred techniques from mob grazing cattle to rotate the sows every 48 hours across a herbal ley. It has allowed them to reduce the sows' requirements for compound feed by more than 50%.
• Fred Price from Gothelney Farm has Tamworth Cross pigs which graze multispecies herbal leys and cover crops over winter.
• Amy from Redwoods Farm breeds and finishes traditional breed pigs, they are mainly kept outside on pasture or in woodland and are moved regularly to provide them with fresh food.

Let's hear how they are making it work and explore the challenges and the benefits.   

Pigs are well known for rooting up pasture but did you know they will also graze if given the opportunity? Cotswold Seeds will guide us through establishing and managing herbal leys for pigs. Fred Price will tell us about his cover crop grazing.   

After all that talk about rearing pigs, we will get to taste the end results enjoying local pastured pork from Paddock Farm accompanied by seasonal veg from the Kitchen Garden at FarmED.  

You will leave with a plan for your pastured pig enterprise and a new network of contacts in the industry.

Please find the full agenda for the day here. 

Anna Heaton

Anna Heaton has worked internationally on animal welfare and sustainable livestock management for over 15 years and is now the Fibre and Materials Strategy Lead for Animal Materials at Textile Exchange. Textile Exchange’s key Climate+ Strategy aims to reduce the impact of the textile industry by 45% by 2030 and for animal fibres and leather this means increasing the uptake of regenerative farm management systems.

Before joining Textile Exchange Anna gained experience in working in the U.S. and other countries where she was involved in the development and ongoing management of farmed animal welfare standards programs for retailers (the Whole Foods UK 5-Step Animal Welfare Program), fashion brands and charitable organisations (Good Cashmere Standard by Aid by Trade Foundation and Animal Welfare Approved by A Greener World), as well as significant input in the standards for the UK Pasture Fed Livestock Association (PFLA) and work on standards development for Textile Exchange, Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network, Global Animal Partnership and other businesses. Back in the UK she also used to be part of South West Farm Consultants, working directly with farmers and farmer groups on organic and regenerative land management.

Tiered Pricing

Delivery of our mission is a collective effort and our values embrace inclusivity and diversity. We don’t want price to be a barrier to anyone visiting FarmED or attending our events.

FarmED Bursary

If cost is a barrier to you attending, then please do ask us for financial support. The FarmED Bursary offers free or subsidised places to those that will benefit most.

GREAT Farmers

As part of the GREAT project (see www.greatglos.co.uk) we can offer subsidised places to existing and aspiring farmers, growers and advisers in Gloucestershire to the suite of regenerative agriculture and agroecological transition courses at FarmED. To book, please select the Discounted Ticket option below. You will be asked for a few eligibility details including evidence of your involvement in regenerative agriculture and your potential impact in Gloucestershire.

North East Cotswold Farmer Cluster

We can offer subsidised places to members of the North East Cotswold Farmer Cluster (https://www.cotswoldfarmers.org/).  To book, please select the Discounted Ticket option below.

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