Concerns have been raised over the 'huge' decline in abattoirs numbers in the UK, as a new report warns that just over 200 are left.
The decline in the number of abattoirs, from about 2,500 in the 1970s to just 203 in 2024, risks 'seriously jeopardising' British food security.
The warning comes from the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA), which is included in its new 'Meat Industry Manifesto [PDF]'.
For livestock farmers, access to a local abattoirs is a major priority, but rising distances and journey costs have made some family-run abattoirs unviable.
With each closure, farmers are forced to go further afield, putting pressure on remaining abattoirs trying to accommodate increasing numbers.
But the BMPA said this 'worrying' trend in declining abattoir numbers could, in turn, severely impact UK food security.
The association blamed this on declining domestic farm production, 'increasingly onerous' trade barriers and a 'systemic' labour shortage.
And UK consumers and government should be worried, the body warned, as a lack of a viable abattoir sector could lead to a sharper decline in British farming and more reliance on imported meat.
The BMPA said that, although 'contentious', the meat processing industry could survive without British livestock and, if necessary, could replace meat from UK-reared animals with imported meat.
However, it warned that British livestock farmers could not survive without abattoirs.
Nick Allen, CEO of the association said that, since Brexit, the UK meat sector had come under pressure from increased bureaucracy, tougher trade barriers and worker shortages.
"Many policy decisions have been made in a departmental vacuum, without a full understanding of the impacts and unintended consequences they will have on different parts of the food chain. Often, one problem is fixed, only to create another."
Efforts have been made to address problems facing the sector. The previous government launched a £4m Smaller Abattoir Fund awarding grants to help support smaller abattoirs in England.
Defra's Small Abattoir Working Group is also seeking to address regulatory and other issues.
But Mr Allen said the election of Labour was an opportunity to reset how government and industry worked together to share workable policies that strengthened the UK's long-term food security.
"Our Meat Industry Manifesto sets out that ideal big picture and offers practical solutions to achieve it," he added.
