UK pig farmers record song in desperation
A group of British pig farmers are to record an anthem online titled “Stand by Your Ham” in an effort to highlight the industry’s desperate cash crisis.
30 people will record the song, based on the Tammy Wynette classic Stand by Your Man, in a London studio.
By this weekend their song will be posted on www.pigsareworthit.com, their campaign website. The campaign is aimed at encouraging consumers to buy more British pig meat and to lobby retailers for fairer prices.
According to reports, pig farmers are losing £26 (€33) on every pig they sell to provide pork, bacon and ham to supermarkets.
Many UK pig farmers insist that they have no choice but to quit unless the £1.10 (€1.45) per kg they receive for pork is raised to £1.30 (€1.71) by Easter. The song is also intended to build up momentum for a rally outside Downing Street on March 4.
The lycrics are as follows:
Stand by Your Ham
Right now it’s hard to make a living
Rearing all your pigs for pork and ham.
The supermarkets make money
But we don’t make any money
And that’s quite hard to understand
But if they gave us a little more money
Gave us farmers a fairer share.
Coz we take good care of our pigs
We’re so proud of them
To us they’re more than pork and ham.
(Chorus)
Stand by your ham.
Sausages, pork and bacon
Help us to stay in business
Because our pigs are worth it.
Stand by your ham.
Sausages, pork and bacon
Keep givin’ all the help you can
Stand by your ham.
The lyrics were composed by Barney Kaye of the National Pig Association.
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