Group appeals to Defra to avert crisis in local meat availability

The Campaign for Local Abattoirs highlights the fast closure rate of the UK's small abattoirs
The Campaign for Local Abattoirs highlights the fast closure rate of the UK's small abattoirs

The UK is in serious danger of losing its local, traceable meat supplies as over a third of small abattoirs have closed in the past decade.

The start warning comes from the Campaign for Local Abattoirs (CFLA), a recently formed group of organisations and individuals concerned about the closure of many of the UK’s smaller abattoirs.

The group says that over a third of small abattoirs have closed in the past decade, and a further 10% have already closed this year, or are about to close.

The group says smaller abattoirs are essential for local meat marketing because only they can slaughter animals for farmers and let them have meat and offal back for sale to their customers, who can be assured that they are buying local, traceable meat.

The CFLA’s new paper explains that the benefits of smaller local abattoirs go way beyond simply slaughtering farm animals. They provide public goods including: higher animal welfare and lower emissions due to shorter journey times; increased economic benefits from keeping the profits of livestock production and butchery within local communities, and greater local employment. They also act as a catalyst for new local businesses to develop.

‘Critical level’

Sustainable Food Trust policy advisor Bob Kennard coordinates the campaign, he said the UK has now reached a critical level.

“As more and more small abattoirs close, the distances to the nearest suitable slaughterhouse increase, until it is no longer financially viable for farmers, and the farm shops, farmers markets, local butchers and mail order meat businesses they supply are also forced to close,” Mr Kennard said.

“We have now reached a critical level, with several blackspots around the country where smaller abattoirs simply do not exist.”

The reasons for the crisis are complex, according to the report. However, it includes strong downward pressure on profitability from high volume abattoirs supplying supermarkets; increased costs of waste disposal; excessive regulation hitting smaller businesses disproportionately and low prices paid to small abattoirs for hides and skins.

Importance of small

The CFLA is calling on government to publicly recognise the importance of smaller abattoirs and to establish an enquiry to understand the multiple problems facing the sector.

It says with the help of the industry, government should come up with practical solutions, which could include mobile abattoirs which enable on-farm slaughter, especially in areas where smaller abattoirs no longer exist.

One short-term action by governments to avert a collapse of the network would be an immediate cash injection to smaller abattoirs in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, matching that committed by the Welsh Government.

The CFLA says this will give a breathing space for sustainable, longer-term solutions to be developed across the UK, through the proposed in-depth official enquiry.