The Association of Independent Meat Suppliers has warned abattoirs “will close” if new proposals to scale back regular vet charge discounts are adopted.
Under the measures, out for consultation since 19 March, only the “smallest abattoirs” will continue to receive an existing 90% discount on official vet charges. All abattoirs currently receive the discount for the first 20 hours a month of official controls – dropping to 75% over the following 46 hours a month.
Only those processing up to 1,000 livestock units per year for red meat, or 150,000 birds annually for poultry and small game would continue to receive the 90% discount, AIMS said – representing just under a third of all abattoirs. The remainder are proposed will have their funding subjected to a sliding scale, and the largest “would no longer be eligible for support”.
Peter Hewson, AIMS veterinary director, criticised the proposals, saying, “small slaughterhouses will be protected under the FSA’s proposals from the exorbitant cost of FSA’s controls, but most of the industry will be severely affected, plants will close and animal welfare will be adversely affected as travel times increase”.
As previously reported by The Grocer, the FSA faces a judicial review in the High Court in April, brought by AIMS and the British Meat Processors Association, over vet charges for the coming financial year.
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According to the FSA, its charge proposals would result in a discount system that would better target support as “smaller abattoirs can face a proportionately higher regulatory burden per animal than larger ones”.
Defending the measures, it said they had been devised through extensive industry engagement, with stakeholders reportedly highlighting “the important role small abattoirs play in communities and consumer choice”.
The FSA said taxpayer-funded discounts amounted to £14.9m last year and will reduce to £11.8m in 2026/27 – although this would still represent a taxpayer contribution of 18% towards total estimated charges of £66m.
“Smaller abattoirs can play a vital role in local communities and the wider food chain, and these proposals would give the smallest businesses the certainty of maximum support,” said FSA deputy director of food policy, James Cooper. “We’ve listened carefully to the sector since we began this work in 2024, and we’d encourage everyone with an interest to respond to this consultation.”
He added: ”We remain committed to working across government to support the meat industry and make sure people have food they can trust.”
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