Food consortium seeks targeted support for local abattoirs
© Megan Perry Lighter regulation and more targeted funding for local abattoirs are needed to fend off the threat of further closures.
The demands are contained in a letter to prime minister Andy Burnham from the Abattoir Sector Group – a coalition of more than 150 food and farming organisations which are seeking a review of regulatory and charging arrangements.
See also: FSA small abattoir fee cut proposal divides industry
They also want a new funding scheme to help communities identify gaps in slaughter provision and develop viable, local facilities.
The coalition also says that local and regional abattoirs should be recognised as essential infrastructure, with Defra, the Treasury and the devolved governments working with industry to secure a sustainable network.
It warns that the UK had lost more than nine in 10 abattoirs since the 1970s, with numbers falling from about 2,500 to about 200 today.
Smaller businesses
The decline has been particularly marked among smaller businesses, which provide services for farmers such as private killing, cutting and packing that are not always available from larger processors.
These facilities allow meat to be sold directly to consumers, butchers and farm shops, retaining more value within local supply chains.
A 2025 survey by the Sustainable Food Trust, Soil Association and Rare Breeds Survival Trust, which received responses from 850 farmers and land managers, found that two-thirds had experienced difficulties accessing suitable abattoir services over the previous five years.
One-third had seen an abattoir they used close.
If their current facility shut, 43% of respondents said they would no longer be able to sell meat locally, while 29% said they might have to close their meat business altogether.
The consequences could extend beyond the farm gate, affecting rural employment, independent butchers, hospitality businesses and specialist livestock production.
Capital grants
The meat sector has previously worked with Defra through an Abattoir Task and Finish Group, while the £4m Smaller Abattoir Fund in England, introduced in 2023, supported investment in facilities.
However, the coalition argues that capital grants alone cannot resolve an operating model it considers financially unsustainable.
Christopher Price, chairman of the Abattoir Sector Group, said: “You cannot have British meat without the infrastructure to process it.”
He said the government needed to act before more infrastructure was lost, adding that regulation should maintain high standards without driving viable local businesses out of existence.
Solutions
The coalition has proposed locally tailored solutions, including co-operatives, mobile facilities and public-private partnerships, supported by funding for feasibility studies and business planning.
It argues that a co-ordinated approach is needed to protect existing facilities and support new ones, while recognising that responsibility for policy and delivery is shared between the UK and devolved governments.
Defra has been invited to comment.
‘Every animal deserves a good life and a good death’
The closure of a small abattoir in East Sussex, and a two-month waiting list for another has led one farmer to retain her sheep while exploring alternative outlets.
Anna Zielicka-Hardy runs Rette Farm in East Sussex, where she raises about 400 native-breed sheep with a strong commitment to animal welfare.
When the small abattoir just 10 minutes from the farm closed, Ms Zielicka-Hardy had to look further afield. Another local facility was not accepting new customers, leaving her facing a two-month waiting list.
Transporting a batch of five sheep to the next nearest abattoir and returning later to collect the meat involves about six hours on the road.
Working with partners, including a local small abattoir, Ms Zielicka-Hardy is now exploring a regulated on-farm harvesting model designed to reduce transport stress while supporting existing local processing infrastructure.
She estimates on-farm slaughter could save about £100 per batch in feed and transport costs alone, excluding her time and the cost of arranging farm cover.
She hopes the approach could become a pilot for other farmers, helping reduce costs, improve animal welfare and strengthening local food systems.
“Every animal deserves a good life and a good death. Every farmer deserves the means to provide both,” she said.
