‘A victory for common sense’ – Small abattoirs to benefit from public funding

As the legislation passed through the House of Lords, Ministers confirmed slaughtering would be recognised as one of the ‘ancillary services’ eligible for cash – a key ask of the Sustainable Food Trust (SFT) and Campaign for Local Abattoirs.

The two groups said the move was the ‘first sign’ that the Government, which has long said animals should be slaughtered as close to the point of production as possible, was actually willing to help small abattoirs financially and stem the tide of closures.

The latest figures from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) show the UK has 62 small abattoirs.

As of April 2020, there were 13 fewer small abattoirs than there were in April 2016, down from 96 in 2007 – a drop of one third over the past decade.