Defra Team Urged to Reverse Decline in UK’s Abattoir Network
The new government has been urged by rural campaigners to maintain the progress on action to reverse the decline of the UK’s local abattoir network.
Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) has called on the new Defra ministers to announce ‘considered and robust support’ for small, family-run abattoirs.
For livestock farmers, access to a local abattoirs is a major priority, but numbers of them have declined significantly in recent years.
Rising distances and journey costs have made some family-run abattoirs unviable.
Also:
- Small abattoir closures ‘spells disaster’ for rural areas, campaigners warn
- Farmers lead funding bid to save last local small abattoir
- £4m small abattoir fund to open by end of 2023
According to the most recent estimates, there are only roughly 50 small abattoirs left in England, Wales and Scotland.
With each closure, campaigners warn that farmers are forced to go further afield, putting pressure on remaining abattoirs trying to accommodate increasing numbers.
High on the agenda for the new Labour government must be action to boost take-up of the Small Abattoir Fund, introduced by the previous government last December, RBST said.
“The scheme should be reviewed as a matter of urgency to ensure it is fully accessible by those abattoir owners it is designed to help,” said the body’s chief executive, Christopher Price.
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