Small abattoirs to receive funding through Agriculture Bill
Ministers confirmed that slaughtering will be recognised as one of the ‘ancillary services’ eligible for financial support as the Agriculture Bill passed through the House of Lords.
There are currently 62 small abattoirs across the UK according to the Food Standards Agency, down from 75 in 2016 and 96 in 2007.
Red meat production down on 2019 but on the rise
DEFRA’s UK statistics show that 987,800 lambs were taken to slaughter in June - up 9% on June last year - although throughput for the first half of 2020 remains 10% below 2019 levels due to dry conditions in Spring delaying the finishing of stock.
Prime cattle slaughterings in June totalled 175,500 animals (80,100 tonnes), up 10% on the same time last year and up 11.5% by volume.
EU leaders strike a deal on a coronavirus recovery package
EU leaders have struck a deal on a coronavirus recovery package worth a total of 750 Billion Euros aimed at relieving the pressure of recovering from the pandemic. Around half of the fund (€390bn) will go towards the ‘economically weakened’ EU Member States although Germany and France originally proposed a sum of 500 Billion Euros.
The leaders have also agreed on the EU’s budget for the next seven years which is worth just over 1 Trillion Euros.
New Red Tractor Crops Sector chair appointed
Former NFU Deputy President, Guy Smith, has been appointed as the new Red Tractor Combinable Crops and Sugar Beet Sector chair, succeeding Laurence Matthews who will come to the end of his second term in November.