[Fowgill Farm]

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 

[Berkshire Boy]

Ooooooooo Mandy you cynic 

[JulieS]

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?

[HappyHippy]

I'd love to go !
Unfortunately it's just a bit far for me while the kids are still so little 
Maybe next year 

[Fowgill Farm]

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 

[JulieS]

That would be good Mandy 

[Fowgill Farm]

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 

[robert waddell]

is it not to late to have anything included in this years AGM    even being raised by individualbreed clubs

[Fowgill Farm]

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

[robert waddell]

but this is the BPA we talking about they do things just a wee bit different

[Fowgill Farm]

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 

[windymiller]

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!

[robert waddell]

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

[Fowgill Farm]

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 

[JulieS]

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.