INDUSTRY NEWS


CRAFTBUTCHER l SEPTEMBER 2019 13 HOME SLAUGHTER – ANOTHER VIEW


slaughterhouses. Meat not inspected by an Official Veterinarian or given an official Health Mark is deemed unfit unless consumed on the property by the owner or the owner’s immediate family.


Paul Hobbs, Principal EHO Horsham District Council


I have been following the decline in small local abattoirs with interest and am concerned that closure of facilities enabling small producers to have livestock slaughtered locally has led to increases in illegal slaughterings.


The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is consulting on how to comply with the law in relation to ‘home slaughter’ of livestock, where the owner slaughters livestock on his or her property for personal or consumption of that of members of their immediate family. And I am pleased that the FSA are attempting to bring some clarity to the situation so long as it is fair to small slaughterhouses.


Because of an anonymous tip off, I was once made aware that an illegal slaughtering operation was taking place on a farm where pigs were to be processed and the meat sold to the public. Which at the time, meant a lot of research and liaison with the FSA on how to deal with it.


Legislation gives enforcement powers to Local Authorities (LAs) to deal with unlicensed slaughter, not the FSA. The Food Safety Act give LAs power to seize meat intended for sale at unlicensed


One cold Sunday morning, with police and RSPCA officers we encountered a livestock owner and a fully licenced slaughterman in the act of slaughtering pigs. Eight pig carcases were seized and destroyed with legal proceedings taken against the livestock owner for attempting to supply unfit food.


Despite the RSPCA Officer being satisfied that animal welfare had not been compromised. The FSA asked the Council to take proceedings against the slaughterman. As guidance at the time in defining the supply of a dressed carcase back to the owner as a sale, effectively prohibited the use of an ‘itinerant slaughterman’ and therefore in contravention to food regulations.


With the RSPCA satisfied that no cruelty had taken place and the FSA definition


of a sale being suspect. As well as a conviction possibly causing the slaughterman to lose his licence with serious implications to his right of employment, the council was reluctant to prosecute.


The case was heard in a Magistrates Court and with both defendants pleading guilty and each receiving fines the FSA did not pursue the slaughterman who kept his licence and continued working.


At the time the lack of local facilities to send animals for private kill forced illegal slaughter underground. While prohibiting the use of an ‘itinerant slaughterman’ with the skill to stun and dress an animal, therefore ensuring a humane kill and clean dressing process with less risk of stomach and faecal matter contaminating the carcase, made little sense.


Particularly when many qualified slaughtermen also have knowledge to identify pathological conditions such as parasites and abscesses which could render the carcase or parts of the carcase unfit for human consumption.


The argument for many years fell on deaf ears but the proposed guidance now reflects changes to animal welfare rules in 2009 allowing the slaughter of animals to be undertaken by a competent ’itinerant slaughterman’.


The correct disposal of specified risk material under Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE) regulations makes home slaughter difficult for many. But the revised guidance not only clarifies current requirements but recommends producers give advance notice and seek advice from local environmental health departments.


However, in order to ensure a level playing field, I would like to see the notice requirement made compulsory. This will enable local authorities to properly enforce the measure and ensure that the meat is only for use by the producer and immediate household.


What is needed is to press Government to recognise the need for small rural abattoirs highlighting the welfare & environmental benefits of slaughtering livestock as close to the point of production as possible. Where local facilities capable of taking livestock for private slaughter will reduce the need for home slaughter.


As we will shortly be leaving the EU low throughput abattoirs not exporting outside the UK will no longer need OVs and we could go back to the good old-fashioned ‘Meat Inspector’ employed by the LA. Training slaughterhouse operatives to identify disease and CCTV to protect animal welfare, a new approach could provide a real cost effective alternative. n


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