AN English pig farmer has beaten local farmers at their own game by being named Western Australia’s pig farmer of the year. David Ives and his family migrated to Australia and took over the Ella Plains property, east of Geraldton, in May 2004. Mr Ives said life in WA had met with all his expectations and his family had settled in well, with the move providing incentives on the business front and in a personal sense. After just 18 months farming in vastly different conditions to what he had experienced in his native UK, Mr Ives was awarded pig farmer Grower of the Year 2005 by Watsonia smallgoods at its farmers annual meeting. The award is judged on the percentage of top grade porkers produced from a property, and in the case of Ives’ Ella Plains, the total was more than 1,000 porkers. About 95 per cent of the Ives’ stock is sold as pork, with the remainder processed as bacon. Mr Ives’ interest in a change of rural setting was sparked when he attended a WA government seminar in England in March 2002. From there, he and his family visited WA on a farm tour and information session later that year. After liking what they saw, they completed the business migration process and purchased Ella Plains, as well as a house in Geraldton.