The UK Government has put in place support measures for the pig industry to reduce the animal welfare implications of pigs backing up on farms. The current backlog of pigs on farms has been caused by a combination of factors the Covid-19 pandemic, loss of export market to China, CO interruption, and a shortage of labour, especially skilled butchers, in processing plants. The support measures include the approval of up to 800 visas for pork butchers, a Private Storage Aid (PSA) scheme, a Slaughter Incentive Payment (SIP) Scheme to increase the throughput of pigs through processors and, together with Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), working to identify new export markets for pork, particularly lightly processed pork.With the introduction of the SIP scheme, processors can receive a payment of £3 per pig for any pig slaughtered in additional shifts put on by a slaughterhouse. To be eligible for the scheme, shifts must be additional to those already agreed with the Food Standards Agency and be dedicated to the SIP scheme. Additionally, the meat must be cut into 6 bone-in cuts per carcase (2 x legs, 2 x middles, 2 x shoulders) and either be put into the Private Storage Aid scheme in England or exported. The £3 per pig payment is based on a calculation of the costs incurred by processors to put on additional slaughtering shifts and incentivises increased throughput. The payment is not intended to cover all additional costs incurred by processors but rather to act as an incentive to encourage processors to maximise the opportunities offered in the support package.This scheme will run in England only.