National award for PCS director

November 2004

Pork Chain Solutions are proud to announce that director Gerry Brent has been awarded the prestigious David Black Award for his long and outstanding service to the UK pig industry.

On accepting the award at a ceremony in the House of Lords, Gerry pledged to redouble his efforts to help develop a national proficiency test scheme for the UK pig industry. A first step would be to offer anyone working with pigs for at least six months the opportunity of obtaining a basic qualification. Higher levels of qualification could then follow.

Gerry Brent is closely involved with the Lincolnshire-based training organisation Agskills (a self-help group which has propelled the industry into a new era of hands-on learning), and has voiced his concern that official 'accreditation' could be imposed on the industry unless it develops its own scheme. Characteristically, he pointed out that he would feel more comfortable with the David Black Award if, within five years, everyone working in the industry had the opportunity to receive a basic qualification.

Starting his career in the industry as a pigman, Gerry progressed to unit manager and, after more formal training, became a college lecturer, and then manager of the much-missed National Agricultural Centre Pig Demonstration Unit. After his NAC stint he worked for Cotswold Pig Development Company as an international consultant, then became director of a 2,000 sow farming company and in recent years saw the need for consultants with complementary skills to work together, which lead to the establishment of Pork Chain Solutions.