BNPS.co.uk (01202 558833)<br /> Pic: MaxWillcock/BNPS<br /> <br /> Pictured: Robert Shepard.<br /> <br /> A pig farmer is closing his business after over 50 years due to the staffing crisis within the industry.<br /> <br /> Robert Shepherd, 58, a second generation farmer, faces culling 10,000 pigs in the coming weeks due to a drastic shortage of abattoir workers.<br /> <br /> Mr Shepherd usually sends 400 pigs to market a week but they are now backing up at his 2,000 acre Allenford Farm in Damerham, near Fordingbridge, Hants, due to the lack of butchers and HGV drivers to transport them.<br /> <br /> He said the staffing crisis has been the final straw following pressure put on his business due to Covid and he is now closing his pig farm that has been going since 1963.
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