Primary food production is largely a rural business and with food being the UK’s
largest manufacturing sector, it is of vital importance both to the national and local
economies. Investing in opportunities for local food production, and robust local
markets, must surely be a key objective for government.
We welcomed the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Act 2024 which banned the
export of live animals for slaughter outside the British Islands. Perhaps more
important to welfare, however, is that slaughter takes place as close as possible to
where an animal is reared. This should be a key consideration in any local food
infrastructure.
There is apparent cross-party recognition of the value of local slaughter, but we
were disappointed by the omission of issue of local abattoirs from the previous
government’s Food Strategy. With the current government developing a new Food
Strategy we hope it will address this issue.
Given technological advances, the government may wish to consider whether a
lighter-touch regulatory framework for abattoirs with lower compliance costs may
better serve the cause of animal welfare overall.
Local slaughter allows for added product value to be retained within local
economies aside from the important benefits it offers for animal welfare. It should
also be part of long overdue reform of food labelling, as it is an important
consideration in driving consumer choice.