Abattoirs at risk as FSA cuts cash for inspections

Mar 21 2008 by Sam Wood, The Journal

SMALL abattoirs in the North East could be under threat after the Food Standards Agency said that it would no longer subsidise inspections of slaughterhouses.

It is feared some could go out of business, which would impact on the viability of farmers’ markets, which rely on the availability of small local abattoirs.

In 2000, new regulations brought in by the Government increased the cost of inspections. That cost was offset by subsidies which have now been removed.

If small abattoirs go bust, local meat producers would have to send their animals further afield to be slaughtered, pushing up prices.

The NFU has called for the level of inspection that slaughterhouses have to go through, and pay for, to be reduced to relieve some of the pressure caused by British abattoirs having to pay the highest meat inspection prices in Europe.

Alistair Johnson, NFU livestock adviser, said: “We would like to see a more risk-based and proportionate regulation introduced and that is what we are campaigning for.

“This is the only country in the world where there is 100% policing of abattoirs and it is just not necessary. We don’t think every slaughterhouse needs to be inspected all the time when it is killing animals.

“Most are very good and can be left. However, there are still some which need work and these are the ones the inspections should be concentrating on.

“There are many other safeguards in place which mean the standard and safety of meat will not drop.

“And not all abattoirs pose the same risk of spreading disease.”

Mr Johnson explained how the system works at present.

He said: “There is head charge on any animal which goes through the abattoir, which is charged on a set rate which is set by the EU.

“They are charged by throughput. More animals means a higher cost.

“But there is also an hourly rate which they have to pay for each man hour which is used during the inspection. If five inspectors are present, they all need to be paid.

“That is easier to offset by the bigger abattoirs which will kill lots of animals. For those abattoirs which only kill a small number of animals, the proportionate cost will be higher.

“There is a real potential risk that some small abattoirs could go out of business.

“We want to see a level of inspection which is based on risk.”