Support for small abattoirs needed more than live export ban

The Countryside Alliance has called for the Government to support more small abattoirs, rather than introduce a ban on animal exports in response to a Defra consultation which closed on Tuesday 22 May.

In written evidence to Defra's consultation, the Alliance supported the Government's objective of reducing travel time from point of production to slaughter but argued that this was best achieved by establishing more small and medium size abattoirs in the UK rather than introducing a ban on live exports for slaughter.

The purpose of the consultation was to "seek views on controlling live exports of farm animals for slaughter once the UK has left the EU" which could include "regulatory measures as well as prohibitions". Leaving the EU will give the UK the opportunity to change the regulations for transporting animals to Europe, including the possibility of introducing a ban on live exports.

The Countryside Alliance has argued that there is no evidence to suggest that transportation over water is of any greater risk to animal welfare than transportation over land, and stressed that farmers and producers in the UK could be disadvantaged by a one-sided ban.

Countryside Alliance Head of Policy, Sarah Lee, commented: "It is vital that animal welfare is central to the regulations for transporting animals, but any changes must be based on principle and evidence. The majority of campaigners on this issue accept that travel within the UK should not be affected so we may face a situation where animals cannot be transported from Dover to Calais but they can be moved from Liverpool to Belfast. This would be completely illogical.

"We fully support the Government's aim of slaughtering animals as close as possible to the point of production, but there are many ways this can be achieved without simply focusing on international movement. It is disappointing that the Government is not using the opportunity of Brexit to look at ways of supporting small and medium sized abattoirs which have struggled to cope with regulation from the EU. Reviving a network of small, local abattoirs would do far more to help reduce journey times than a simple ban on live exports".