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

Patrick Holden, SFT chief executive, said: “Much more needs to be done to ensure support actually materialises and that it is used in the most effective way.

“But this is a very important victory for common sense and should help to ensure producers of high welfare, locally-produced meat from environmentally sustainable farms can continue marketing direct to consumers.”

Christopher Price, chief executive of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, also welcomed the news.

He said: “The abattoir network needs to change to reflect the way livestock farming is changing.

Process

“Most importantly, it needs to be able to process non-standard breeds supplied in small numbers and do so to the highest welfare and environmental standards.

“It is hard to see how this can happen fast enough, and be sufficiently wide ranging, without Government support – at least in the short term.

“This means capital grants for those local abattoirs which still exist to get them up to scratch and investment in mobile and micro units where the abattoirs have gone.”

The SFT has also called on Government to commission a study into the issue of falling incomes from hides and skins, which have seen many abattoirs lose a significant revenue stream.