Okehampton Show pig secretary and farmer Deborah Custance-Baker advocates that to maintain quality pork in the shops it is vital they back their local pig producers.

WHY keep a pig? Many people are asking this very question, following the rise in the price of wheat and the price of pig food is soaring while the price of the finished item is remaining the same. So economically pigs are not a sound investment at this moment of time.

There are two distinctive types of pig producers — the larger, very important producers who keep the pork industry ticking over and supply the supermarkets and the smaller niche market producers. Both are essential to British pork production.

Britain has a wonderful range of traditional and modern pig breeds and it is vital that this part of our heritage is kept going. The smallholders often keep the traditional breed of pigs with a pedigree that can be traced back over the generations. Many of these traditional breeds of pigs will be able to be seen at Okehampton Show this year. With this in mind, it is essential that you hunt out your local small producer and support them – if you don't eat them we won't/can't keep them and traditional breeds of British pigs will be lost.

Luckily pigs have many commendable features. As Prime Minister and wartime leader Winston Churchill, said: 'A dog looks up to you, a cat looks down on you, but a pig treats you as an equal.' How right he was!

For the smallholder, pigs can become part of the family. My own children, often think that I prefer my pigs to them .... well the pigs are clean, intelligent and ultimately very tasty!

Many a time, people have commented that pigs are dirty and smelly. Given space, pigs will design their own living space, with a corner of the field for their ablutions, an area designated as their dining room and a separate sleeping area. They are very sociable animals and should be kept at least in pairs and need feeding (and talking to) at least twice a day. Pigs can be considered as organic rotovators, they work well in, and do wonders for woodland where they will go in, turn over the top soil, remove the brambles, nettles and other weeds, but will leave the wild garlic and bluebells.

While earning their keep in this way, they will also be adding flavour to their own meat by eating all sorts of nuts and greenery from the woodland, and then ultimately being so much more tasty. The traditional breeds take slightly longer to mature than the modern breeds, but in my mind this is just adding flavour.

The important thing, is that while pig producers are struggling to make ends meet, you should source local pork and support the British pork industry and local farmers. I guarantee you will be delighted with the product and you may well say it tastes like pork used to taste!ß