Chris Brant Award

NPA chairman Rob Mutimer highlighted the work Duncan has done over the years behind the scenes in helping to shape various pieces of legislation to benefit the industry and also, particularly recently, his appearances in the media to raise industry concerns and explain the realities of life on a pig farm. Rob described him as the pig industry equivalent of Government scientist, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam.

Revealing the winner, Rob said: “This person more often than not operates outside of the lights of publicity in the often dim and dreary world that is Defra Policy.

“Grinding away through the boring detail with a focussed determination not to allow poor, uninformed policy to disadvantage the industry whilst at the same time protecting the welfare of the animals he so passionately cares about. Many of the successes he has achieved will often never even reach the glossy pages of industry media.

“However, notwithstanding all this behind the scenes stuff, whenever he is called upon to represent industry with the media, he does so with massive professionalism and adroit articulacy. He is the Pig Industry equivalent of Covid’s Professor Van-Tam. Explaining sometimes complex concepts in a way that anybody can understand.

“And where words alone will not suffice, he has no hesitation in dragging officials onto farm to let them see the issues for themselves. Without his direct input into the new Pig Welfare Code, industry would now be facing yet another crippling challenge – one that could have proved to be the final straw for many.

“Oh, yes and he does all of this as well as his full time day job as one of the industry’s most highly respected vets, continuing to play a key role in the PVS.”