The National Sheep Association (NSA) has called on the government to recognise local slaughter capacity as critical national infrastructure, warning that the closure of small abattoirs is squeezing farms that sell meat direct to customers.
In a statement issued on 29 October, the NSA said more than 90% of UK abattoirs have disappeared since the 1970s. Industry estimates put the number at around 200 today, down from about 2,500.
A 2025 survey of 850 farmers and land managers by the Sustainable Food Trust, the Soil Association and the Rare Breeds Survival Trust found that almost a third believed their meat business might close if their local abattoir shut. Some 43% said they would no longer be able to sell meat locally. Around two-thirds already had difficulty reaching suitable slaughter services, and a third had seen an abattoir they used close, according to the National Farmers’ Union. FarmingUK reports that 58% of respondents believed their business would not be profitable without direct or local meat sales.
“Small abattoirs support the diversity of breeds in the UK,” said Michael Priestly, NSA policy manager. He said small plants provide services that larger sites do not, including private kill, cutting, packing and value-added processing, and pointed to earlier government support such as the Small Abattoir Fund.
The NSA is among more than 150 organisations, businesses and individuals that signed a coalition letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham earlier this month. The letter asks ministers to review regulation and charges, fund existing and prospective local abattoirs, and weigh slaughter capacity alongside energy, transport and skills in economic planning. The NSA also wants mobile units, such as those being developed in the Scottish Highlands, examined as an option.
Costs are climbing. The NFU says the hourly rate for Official Veterinarians rose 20.8% for 2026/27, from £65.90 to £79.60. The Meat Hygiene Inspector rate rose 12.3% to £48.50.
“Small and medium-sized abattoirs are a vital part of the UK’s food supply chain,” said Clare Wise, chair of the NFU Livestock Board, when the letter was sent.
For rural communities, a nearby abattoir keeps farm shops and rare-breed flocks viable and keeps the value of locally reared meat in the area. Around 200 small abattoirs and large plants combined now serve the whole of the UK.
