The meat industry has welcomed new regulations from the government that promise to ensure sheep farmers are paid more fairly for their livestock at slaughter.
The changes, which were established following consultation with industry, are designed to establish a consistent and transparent system, giving producers clear information on how animals are assessed and priced at slaughter.
The government said that by standardising classification, farmers can respond more effectively to market demand and better understand characteristics that attract premium prices.
The industry has “worked closely” on the proposals and the National Sheep Association has welcomed the “helpful step to simplify and give more clarity to sheep farmers”.
The NSA said this would give more clarity over prices paid, considering different cutting specifications used by abattoirs serving different markets.
The move also brings the industry in line with beef and pork.
“British lamb is rightly recognised worldwide for its exceptional flavour and production standards – and supply chain fairness is vital to ensure farmers and processors are properly rewarded for the quality food they produce,” said farming minister Angela Eagle. “By ensuring a fair and transparent sheep market, we’re backing British producers, strengthening our food security and supporting a resilient future for the sector.”
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The deadweight prime lamb segment, which this legislation affects, accounts for about 45% of the lamb supply in the UK.
The new pricing mechanism caters for two cutting specifications, domestic retailer and export, and uses a coefficient to standardise the price.
“It has been common to hear of confusion over a sizeable gap in price of two deadweight buyers due to differences in carcase weight due to trim specification,” said NSA policy manager Michael Priestley. “Moving from a voluntary to a regulated, standardised approach will demystify the lamb market for many.”
NSA CEO Phil Stocker said the improvements “further ambitions to create better transparency and trust through the supply chain”.
“Farmers selling live through marts won’t be directly affected and we are in a better place with choices and greater transparency in how we choose to sell our lambs,” he added.
Similar regulations for Scottish slaughterhouses also take effect this week, with Wales and Northern Ireland to introduce equivalent measures in early 2026, creating a consistent UK-wide framework.
However, while broadly welcoming the policy change, British Meat Processors Association CEO Nick Allen said the “main disappointment around this piece of legislation is that it is holding back new technology being introduced until there is a sufficient database of information”.
Allen added that the organisation believed “it is unnecessary to have such a long delay”.
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