Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer
    Twitter LinkedIn
    • FREE Email Newsletters
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Us
    Twitter LinkedIn
    Podcast
    Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer
    • News
      • Arable & Agronomy
      • Dealership News
      • Environmental Land Management Scheme/Policy
      • Event News
      • Health & Safety
      • Machinery
      • People
      • World News
    • Farm Machinery
      • Amenity & Maintenance
      • Cultivations
      • Drilling
      • Grassland Equipment
      • Harvesting
      • Muck & Slurry
      • Sprayers
      • Telehandlers
      • Tractors
      • Tractor of the Year
      • Tyres & Tracks
      • Whatever happened to?
    • Precision Farming
    • Markets & Policy
    • Profiles
      • National Arable and Grassland Awards
      • Company Profiles
      • Reader Profiles
    • Livestock
      • Beef
      • Dairy
      • Sheep
    • Magazines
      1. May 2025 issue
      2. April 2025 issue
      3. March 2025 issue
      4. 2025 Tyre Developments supplement
      5. February 2025 issue
      6. National Arable and Grassland Awards supplement
      7. January 2025 issue
      8. December 2024 issue
      9. November 2024 issue
      10. October 2024 issue
      11. September 2024 issue
      12. August 2024 Issue
      13. 2024 Drills and Seeds supplement
      14. July 2024 Issue
      15. Cereals Supplement
      16. June 2024 Issue
      17. May 2024 Issue
      18. April 2024 Issue
      19. Tyres and Tracks Supplement
      20. March 2024 Issue
      21. National Arable & Grassland Award – Meet the Finalists
      22. February 2024 Issue
      23. January 2024 Issue
      24. December 2023
      25. Agritechnica Preview Supplement
      26. November 2023
      27. October 2023
      Featured

      May 2025 issue available now

      By Matthew TiltMay 1, 2025
      Recent

      May 2025 issue available now

      May 1, 2025

      April 2025 issue available now

      April 1, 2025

      March 2025 issue available now

      February 28, 2025
    • Events
    • Podcast
    Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer
    Livestock

    Help needed from Defra to avert crisis in local meat availability

    John SwireBy John SwireMay 14, 20183 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

    The UK is in serious danger of losing its local, traceable meat supplies according to the Campaign for Local Abattoirs (CFLA). This is the stark warning given to Defra in a response to the Health and Harmony consultation, from a recently formed group of organisations and individuals concerned about the closure of so many 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.

    Smaller abattoirs are essential for local meat marketing because only they are able to 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.

    Sustainable Food Trust policy advisor Bob Kennard coordinates the campaign and said, “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. We have now reached a critical level, with several blackspots around the country where smaller abattoirs simply do not exist.”

    The CFLA 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.
    The reasons for this crisis are complex, but include 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.

    The CFLA is calling on government to publicly recognise the vital importance of smaller abattoirs and to establish an urgent in-depth enquiry to understand the multiple problems facing the sector; and with the help of the industry to 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. This will give a breathing space for sustainable, longer-term solutions to be developed across the UK, through the proposed in-depth official enquiry.

    Tweet
    Share
    Share
    Pin
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
    Previous ArticleHigh performance plantain now available for UK livestock systems
    Next Article Open day to focus on pasture to plate benefits of improved beef genetics
    John Swire

    Read Similar Stories

    May 2025 issue available now

    May 1, 2025

    Red Tractor opens consultation for tiered pig standards

    April 30, 2025

    April 2025 issue available now

    April 1, 2025
    Most Read Stories

    Kuhn highlights machines available for grant funding

    May 12, 2025

    West Midlands council switches to electric ATVs

    May 12, 2025

    Bunning to showcase spreader range at Royal Highland Show

    May 12, 2025
    Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer

    The UK's leading agricultural machinery journal

    Twitter LinkedIn
    © 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

    Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy | Terms & Conditions

    • Farmers Weekly
    • AA Farmer
    • Poultry News
    • Pig World

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.