Have your say and help save small abattoirs
7th March 2025
The farming industry has been asked to complete an online survey regarding their use of abattoirs and the importance of their services for farming businesses.
The survey that launched earlier this week aims to gather evidence to show the role smaller local abattoirs play and how their closures could impact farmers.
This follows a call for evidence from the Food Standards Agency last September regarding the small abattoir discount on meat inspection charges, with a more in-depth review currently being carried out.
Concern has grown in the industry that the current discount, which represents up to 90% of charges for some abattoirs, could be under threat.
According to the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers, 40% of small- to medium-sized abattoirs would close without the discount.
This could have widespread negative impacts on consumer access to local meat, the viability and growth of farming and rural businesses, and the delivery of environmental land management.
READ MORE: Fee increase for abattoirs may have catastrophic consequences for businesses
Impact of losing the service
Farming groups that are members of the Abattoir Sector Group are therefore looking to build evidence and case studies to make it clear why the government should continue supporting the sector.
Megan Perry, head of policy and campaigns at the Sustainable Food Trust, said: “We need to hear directly from those on the frontlines of farming to understand how abattoirs are important for their businesses and what the impact would be of losing the services they provide.
“We are particularly looking to understand how the wider economic, environmental and consumer benefits would be harmed.”
Ms Perry explained that trust’s initial research is clear that losing these services could have a devasting impact for local meat businesses and sustainable livestock farming.
“Abattoirs have already declined from 2,500 in the 1970s to just 200 today and further closures will leave farmers with nowhere to go,” she added.
Christopher Price, chief executive of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, said: “A sustainable livestock sector depends on there being a network of local abattoirs capable of processing a diverse range of species and breeds to meet the farmers’ needs.
“There is little point in government claiming to support farming, particularly in some of our most marginal areas in which extensive livestock farming is the only option, if it removes or significantly reduces the small abattoir discount, which will inevitably result in the destruction of a significant part of the small abattoir sector.”
The survey will close on Friday 21st March.
Click here to take part in the survey.
Read more livestock news.
