NPA webmaster (and former Pig World publisher) Digby Scott MBE has been named as the recipient of the 2014 Chris Brant Award.
He received the award from Mr Brant’s daughter, Christine, at the inaugural National Pig Awards gala evening at London’s Royal Garden Hotel, in Kensington.
An audience of about 270 pig producers and representatives of the allied industries were on hand to witness the presentation, which is made annually to someone who has “gone the extra mile” for the industry.
The chairman of the NPA, Richard Longthorp, said judging this year had probably been the toughest ever, but eventually it became clear that this year’s winner fitted the Chris Brant criteria absolutely.
“This person works tirelessly in ensuring the pig industry communications are simply the best. He listens to producers’ concerns, particularly so back in those challenging days of the late 90s and early 2000s.
“Not only is he a master of communications managing the universally acclaimed NPA website, promoting the industry and highlighting the issues, but his wise counsel is always available and valued.
“Spiky and controversial he always gets the message across — even if on occasion he causes the NPA chairman and executive to swallow hard while the potential consequences sink in.
“Without him the industry would be a duller, far less informed and less caring place to be and I’ve no doubt were it not for his Banner Blitz campaign we would be selling far less British pork.”