The British pig sector is paying tribute to Rob Beckett, a highly respected figure and visionary leader, who has been posthumously awarded with the prestigious David Black Award for his outstanding and lasting impact in the industry.
Rob’s career began on his family farm is South Shropshire, which led to his role leading Yorkwold Pigpro Ltd. His clear vision, “to strive not to be the biggest, but to be the best and to put quality first,” guided the business through significant expansion and rationalisation, ultimately nearly doubling the sow herd over 25 years. This commitment to quality was the foundation of Yorkwold’s celebrated, long-term partnership with Morrisons, evidenced by the sale of the two-millionth pig to the retailer last year.
A passionate advocate for the pig sector
Beyond his success at Yorkwold, Rob was a tireless advocate for industry-wide improvement. His service of six years to the Red Tractor Pigs Sector Board was instrumental, where he consistently provided the insight and expertise necessary to drive positive change and ensure high standards of animal welfare and sustainability were met across the sector.
A colleague spoke highly of Rob, saying: “In each role, he provided insight and expertise to drive change and improvement – always challenging but constructive, always professional, always a gentleman.”
Dedication to high standards
Rob’s dedication to high standards was mirrored by his commitment to his staff. He was a firm believer that high standards of animal care could only be achieved through implementing high standards of people care. He invested heavily in training and mentoring for those who worked for him.
Rob’s wider contributions to the farming industry included serving on the Pig Health and Welfare Council’s Welfare Committee and his leadership as Chairman of Thames Valley Cambac, where he guided the merger that created the United Pig Co-operative, strengthening the independent producer base across the country.
A true supporter of Red Tractor
Stewart Houston, Chair of the Pigs Sector Board, remembers how “Rob embodied the ethos of the Red Tractor Pigs Board and was a true supporter of what Red Tractor was all about. He was respected for his strong views and informed argument and continued to contribute virtually when his treatment made his ability to travel too difficult. Towards the end, we shared each other’s experience of the terrible disease that took him from us, but which he dealt with in the same pragmatic way that we tussled with some of the industry’s more challenging problems. We miss him!”