Processors Frustrated by Delay to Automated Sheep Grading
New English Regulations Mandate Sheep Carcase Classification
New regulations in England now require mandatory sheep carcase classification and price reporting for large abattoirs. This brings the sheep sector further into line with existing rules for beef and pork.
According to the British Meat Industry Association, the measures are intended to improve market transparency. They give producers clearer insight into how carcases are graded and how prices are formed at slaughter.
However, the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) has voiced frustration over a one-year delay in the approval of new automated grading technology. The group warns that the hold-up risks increasing compliance costs and operational pressure for processors. The BMPA argues that faster adoption of automated systems would support accuracy, consistency and efficiency across plants.
The regulations apply to larger abattoirs in England, with equivalent measures already in place or being introduced elsewhere in the UK. These changes form part of a broader drive to strengthen supply-chain transparency and fairness in the livestock sector.
Source: British Meat Industry Association | 16 January 2026
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