The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Fowgill Farm on October 05, 2011, 11:27:04 am
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For information
The BPA AGM is to be held on Saturday 3rd December at 11am at The Jersey Pavillion at Stoneleigh Agricultural Centre.
I belive if you want any issues raising they have to be raised in writing 3 weeks prior to Marcus Bates at BPA HQ in Cambridge.
It is open for all BPA members to attend, think you need to let them know you're going. One would think there would be more info on this in the next issue of Practical Pigs Magazine.
I understand it is not widely attended in general. Generally self back patting and re-election of board members etc.!
Mandy :pig:
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Ooooooooo Mandy you cynic :thumbsup:
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Saturdays are really difficult for me, but I'm going to try really hard to get there this year.
I think there needs to be some new people and voices there.
Anyone else planning to go?
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I'd love to go !
Unfortunately it's just a bit far for me while the kids are still so little :(
Maybe next year ;)
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Julie
OH is shooting that day so i might have a venture down weather permitting (we had snow 1st week Dec last year). It would be good to meet up and as you say have a members presence. Nearer the time i'll make a descision whether i'm going or not and let you know.
Mandy :pig:
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That would be good Mandy :)
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Just a reminder for your diaries for any BPA members.
If you have concerns get in touch with your breed rep or breed committee as soon as you can.
Mandy :pig:
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is it not to late to have anything included in this years AGM even being raised by individualbreed clubs :farmer:
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No issues can be raised in AOB if there is enough support from the floor.
Its a given right in any constitution and the right of a memeber to speak at their owb AGM!
Mandy
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but this is the BPA we talking about they do things just a wee bit different :farmer:
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Robert, When they tell me i can't i want to see it in writing in the constitution.
By the by i have a GOS committee meeting coming up soon and i have asked for a BPA item to be raised on the agenda, if their are any GOS owners out there who have BPA issues please get in touch with me prior to the 20th Nov. and i will endeavour to raise them with our BPA reps although as a breed society/club we have very little direct influence on the BPA something which needs to be addressed. Other breeds i would suggest you contact your own committee members for your own breeds, all contacts are listed on the BPA website.
Mandy :pig:
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don't really want to be negative, but of the last two dealings i've had with the BPA they were unhelpfull at best, and really couldn't be bothered, i get the strong impression theyre more geared up for large producers with several thousand sows not 30! and not really interested in OSBs.
we are no longer are members, but again were primarilty an arable concern the pigs are an add on / hobby.
it'd be interested to see if theyre loosing members as i know 2 large (commercial) producers who have dropped it recently also. again stating its very expensive for little return, i know thats what we thought.
especially since the number of free notifications has dropped. i'd rather put my money to the osb society!
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WM i think you are negative in your statement
is there any bpa member that has several thousand sows
the bpa is the body that deals with registrations and not the individual breed clubs
if you are no longer members you will not be able to force change
voting with your feet does not alter much other than your own satisfaction :farmer:
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Windy
please could you let me have more details on your experience. Unfortunately if you want to breed pedigree pigs you HAVE to be in the BPA as they control and manage the OSB herd book now, only the Lops & KK's have their own so as you can see if you want to breed pedigree pigs they have you over a barrel, the point of the exercise that i am aiming for is to make the BPA more accountable to its members, this will require some digging and possibly have some legal implications.
The NPA is the association for commercial producers and the BPA looks after the smaller commercial and rare breed, hobby herds. Unfortunately the BPA is exceedingly poor at communicating partly because it is run by one person and an admin clerk and is seriously understaffed despite having pots of money in the bank!
I hope you would reconsider your membership sometime in the future as the OSB is a rare breed and pedigree numbers need to be kept up to maintain and save the breed.
Best
Mandy :pig:
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I'm definitely going to the BPA AGM. If anyone in Devon/Cornwall, or anywhere in between here and Stonleigh would like a lift let me know.
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Where would someone find a copy of the BPA constitution ? Would that be on-line somewhere ?
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I have issues with the BPA about the way they handled the subscription charges etc but in their defence I had dealings with them earlier in the year. I had bought 2 sows and a boar that were birth notified and not registered, and had changed hands before I had them. The BPA could not have been more helpful in sorting it out, dealing with the breeder and previous owners.
Like others have said it is the communication of information to members that is the problem,but then they are not the only ones guilty of that offence.
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HH have sent you PM
mandy :pig:
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now i could be wrong but i do not think it is as easy as finding the constitution as you dig all sorts of hurdles will be put in place to stop you it is a charity just as the RSPCA is that indication enough
i also think this avenue was trodden already with no success
different stories have been emanating for years and no doubt will continue :farmer:
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You're right Robert, found as follows at companies house
No right to inspect accounts and other records
36. Except as provided by law or authorised by the directors or an ordinary resolution of the company, no person is entitled to inspect any of the company’s accounting or other records or documents merely by virtue of being a member.[/
This is from a basic articles of association document which most companies/charities use as a basis for their rules & regs. Althought the BPA is registered as a charity it is also (again Co house info) a private limited by guarantee company with no share capital. This means there are no shares and the directors(trustees) are only liable for a pound each!! but it does mean it has to keep to companies house rules & regs.
HTh
mandy :pig:
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the liability for a pound is normal when anybody could take litigation against directors (who are doing the job with no re numeration)
sometimes the ordinary members are liable for more than the directors esp if they leave the club or organisation then it goes tits up within the next year :farmer:
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Go to Companies House website and you can download yearly accounts and a revision of the constitution posted this year. Each document cost £1. The accounts for 2010 make interesting reading.
Mandy :pig:
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Note: http://www.duedil.com/ (http://www.duedil.com/) offer the accounts for free if you sign up
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Reminder this is next Saturday coming, even if you can't make the AGM in the morning the Breeders meeting at 1.30pm may be of interest.
Mandy :pig:
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they are not expecting the meeting to take very long are they the breeders meeting is that a collective meet or individual meetings :farmer:
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I think it will be hosted by the breed reps with questions raised from the floor or by any given prior to the reps.
I have a question regarding discrimination in the BPA show rules i want to raise and i also want to know how we get to know what is happening in the various committees as we don't seem to get to know these days since the BPA newsletter is now the glossy publicity nonsense sheet that it is.
Mandy :pig:
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Mandy the show commite is i think the one that is more open
the pedigree pork committee is another matter the only way the small proud of there product breeder can tell the world of there produce is by virtue of the sausage competitions it appears those on that commite are the ones that already sell to the public
in the last two years this committee have done nothing for the Scottish breeder and what makes it worse they have been claiming expenses for nothing my money and your money :farmer:
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Unfortunately after all my hard work i cannot attend today, :( some of you know the reasons why.
However that is not to say that i will be giving up making the BPA do the work we want it to do and asking those questions that they don't want to answer. I will remain the thorn in their rose garden :) :)
best mandy :) :pig:
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I came online to find out too. Crisis here meant I couldn't get away either.
Will be very interested to hear from anyone who did go.
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I think Robert & Lillian were going, they're probably still driving home now.
I'm sure we're going to hear all about it soon ;)
Karen :wave:
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we are back old wiser and poorer :farmer:
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:wave: you should have cut accross country and called in
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if i had i would have needed the trailor ;D :farmer:
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what are the benefits of being a member of the bpa
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In a nutshell, you get to register your pigs as pedigree. It's the only way, unless you breed British lops or Kunekunes - both those breeds manage their own herdbooks and registrations.
Unless you want to breed pedigree pigs, or show pigs at BPA-accredited shows (only pedigree pigs allowed), there aren't many tangible benefits. You get a very basic level pig magazine (Practical Pigs) every quarter, but that's about it.
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you can only register your pigs as pedigree if they are from pedigree and registered stock
it is surprising the number of people sold stock as pedigree and no chance of ever being pedigree
and that pisses them right off the bpa :farmer:
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As Liz rightly says basically if you want to keep pedigree pigs you have to be in the BPA. When you buy stock ask the breeder if they are in the BPA if they aren't they cannot sell you pedigree weaners. If you are buying older pigs and they say oh yes its pedigree ask to see the paperwork, any pig without a pedigree is just that any pig. As they say "cavatore Emptor" buyer beware.
The exception to this rule are Lops & KK's.
I have soem BPA leaflets if you want some posting to you.
Best mandy :pig:
PS The BPA does an excellent service in running the pedigree registration side of things but other than that they're pretty much a benign organisation.
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did any one go & if so what was the out come
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yes we went all points raised will be looked at :farmer:
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yes we went all points raised will be looked at :farmer:
Looked at? - as in putting the piece of paper in a filing cabinet? or did you get the impression that they were actually interested in doing something?
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there in lies the problem my perception will differ greatly from others that were in attendance
i was not to enthralled with the responces and the general direction that some are heading with the bpa
the general meeting was informative and at times boring the breed club meeting well you had to be a breed club rep to participate we as the vast majority did went home :farmer:
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Are the minutes published on the BPA website? Surely they should be available to members?
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Don't be impatient - it takes time to compose good quality fiction.
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mr pig your post brought a smile to me :farmer:
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;) ;D :thumbsup:
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true saying,
all things come to those who wait ;) ;)
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I've no knowledge of the BPA nor any axe to grind - but generally speaking, the 'inner circle' of most committees can and often do write the minutes the day before the meeting... ;) :D