Defra is set to provide £3 million to support the creation of new and mobile abattoirs in England through the Farming Investment Fund, announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at this week’s Farm to Fork Summit[1].
This funding is in addition to the existing £4 million Smaller Abattoir Fund announced in December 2023, which runs until 30th September 2024 and provides 50% grants to support the existing network of smaller abattoirs across England.
Commenting on the new fund, Megan Perry, Head of Policy and Campaigns at the Sustainable Food Trust (SFT), said, “We are delighted the Government are taking such significant steps to support this vitally important sector. New abattoirs are desperately needed to replace those that have been lost in recent years. The release of these funds, and work carried out between Defra and industry behind the scenes, indicates a clear recognition from Government that smaller abattoirs are key to a sustainable and resilient local meat supply chain.”
As founding members of the Abattoir Sector Group, the SFT encourage anyone interested in setting up an abattoir to get in touch via info@sustainablefoodtrust.org.
For more information about the survey or the work of the Abattoir Sector Group[2], please contact:
Megan Perry
Head of Policy and Campaigns, Sustainable Food Trust
07761 804341
megan@sustainablefoodtrust.org
NOTES
[1] This new £3 million fund for new and mobile abattoirs was announced as part of wider package of support for farmers and the food sector unveiled at the 2024 Farm to Fork Summit. More details are available here.
[2] The Abattoir Sector Group was established in 2020 to provide a unified voice for the small and local abattoir sector. Co-founders and current steering group members include AIMS, All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare, Fir Farm, M C Kelly Ltd, National Craft Butchers, Pasture for Life, Rare Breeds Survival Trust and the Sustainable Food Trust.
