We recently also joined BPA, and did not get caught out this way, but only because it happened to me before, so when i rang just after we got Doreen, I asked specifically about this and was told if I waited until the beginning of December we would get 13 months membership.
We did join as it seems the right thing to do, the breed we have chose is Large Blacks and we want to do everything we can to help the breed survive, but I also couldn't believe how expensive it is. We have two sows, so also paid the £60. Ideally we do want to breed pedigree piglets, but I think we will have to see how we go with our first litters to see if we can really justify the expense.