£4m Defra funding package to help small abattoirs survive

Defra is to create a £4m fund “by the end of 2023” to help the small abattoir sector invest for the future, and will ease the burden of regulation to help businesses stay competitive.

Announcing a number of measures on Back British Farming day on Wednesday (13 September), Defra farming minister Mark Spencer said the fund would be used to improve productivity, enhance animal health and welfare, and encourage investment in new technologies.

See also: How can the small abattoir sector be saved?

It will be open to red meat and poultry businesses with an annual throughput of up to 10,000 livestock units, including beef, pork and lamb, and/or 500,000 birds a year.

The minister also confirmed that the government would identify opportunities to remove unnecessary burdens for small abattoirs “to make it easier for them to operate and support farmers in reaching local and international markets”.

Mr Spencer first suggested a fund for small abattoirs at the NFU conference in February 2023.

This was in response to continuous pressure from groups such as the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, the Sustainable Food Trust and National Craft Butchers, which have long been concerned about the rapid number of abattoir closures.

In particular, they have blamed the disproportionate cost of regulation and veterinary inspections, and low margins for any investment.

Reaction

Rare Breeds Survival Trust chief executive Christopher Price said he was “delighted” by news of the £4m fund and the review of red tape.

“We are moving to a more market-facing world in which more farmers need to create their own brands and market their own products, and in which consumers become ever more concerned about the environmental footprint, welfare and provenance of the meat they eat.

“Native breeds have a central role and we desperately need an abattoir network capable of processing small numbers of animals from a variety of breeds to the highest welfare standards.”

Megan Perry of the Sustainable Food Trust described the announcement as an important step in securing essential infrastructure for the future of higher welfare, sustainably produced meat.

“We look forward to receiving more details about the fund and to working with government to address the other key issues, particularly regulation and staff shortages,” she said.

John Mettrick, chairman of the Abattoir Sector Group, also called for more details. “It will be interesting to see how the fund is targeted and how this works in tandem with a regulatory environment that is risk-based and proportional,” he said.