The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is set to consult next year on a more targeted system of support for meat hygiene charges, focused on small abattoirs.
The FSA recovers costs of checks on food safety and animal welfare standards in abattoirs by Official Vets and Meat Hygiene Inspectors from operators. Currently all abattoirs, including the largest, receive some discount on these charges.
The system has not been reviewed since 2015, and following a Call for Evidence last year and extensive stakeholder engagement, the FSA Board considered proposals to ‘ensure the scheme remains value for money and is targeted where it will bring most benefit’.
The Board has today agreed to a public consultation on proposals for a more targeted system of support. An important objective of the revised system is to even out regulatory costs for abattoirs of different sizes, while also avoiding creating barriers to growth.
The agency noted that insights from the Call for Evidence from farming and sustainability groups and engagement with industry show how important smaller abattoirs are for some communities and consumer choice, supporting farmers who specialise in rarer breeds and give the public the option to buy local. The revised model has been developed with this in mind.
The smallest abattoirs – those processing up to 1,000 LSU (Livestock Units) per year for red meat, or 150,000 birds annually for poultry – would receive maximum support, with a 90% discount on charges.
Some medium-sized abattoirs would receive support determined according to a decreasing taper to help minimise barriers to growth and equalise regulatory burdens. In a move away from the current system, the largest businesses would not receive support under the proposals.
This revised model is designed to provide support where it can have the most impact, targeting support for smaller abattoirs while delivering value for money for taxpayers. More smaller abattoirs would benefit from the maximum support levels under the revised system.
The consultation is expected to be launched in Spring 2026, with the FSA Board considering final proposals later in the year. The final decision rests with Ministers, advised by the FSA.
FSA chair, Professor Susan Jebb said: “As a public body, the FSA must ensure that any financial support to industry is kept under review and remains value for money.
“We’ve listened carefully to feedback from interested parties and recognise the important role that smaller abattoirs can play in supporting local farming, the rural economy, and giving people greater choice when purchasing meat.
“Today’s Board decision means we will now move forward with a formal public consultation on how the proposed future support model would work. This will give businesses and the public the opportunity to help shape the final proposals we will put to Ministers that aim to uphold essential food safety regulation while supporting the sustainability and growth of smaller abattoirs.”