STOP THIS WAR ON OUR FAMILY FARMS

"Under Labour, the only thing making its way through an abattoir is British farming'

- By Eleanor Burleigh

LABOUR'S attack on family farms is driving abattoirs to the point of ruin, campaigners warn.

They say the farming industry is facing devastation from the National Insurance increase, rising costs and a looming inheritance tax hike.

Shadow Business and Trade Secretary Andrew Griffith insisted last night: "Under Labour, the only thing making its way through an abattoir is British farming." Luke Smith, 33, who owns small abattoir Down Land Traditional Meats in Sussex, has seen other similar businesses close down with under 50 remaining in England and Wales.

He admitted: "If Down Land was solely run as a small abattoir, would be shut we already. The costs are sky high and we're only able to keep it going because we have a wholesale butcher's on the side.”

Since acquiring the slaughterhouse, Mr Smith has had to more than double its output and works with farmers across the whole of the South East and beyond.

Some travel for hours to drop their sheep, cattle and pigs at the facility.

The closure rate of 10% a year for small abattoirs has worsened the struggles faced by smallholder farmers, who are reeling from the Government's introduction of a 20% inheritance tax on agricultural assets over £1million, coming into force next April.

A record 6,365 farms have been forced to close in the past year, according to the Office for National Statistics.

More than half shut in the first six months of 2025 the highest number since quarterly data was first published in 2017.

Mr Griffith has criticised Labour’s changes. He said: “There is a huge shortage of abattoirs and, with the Government's attack on family farms and businesses, I'm not surprised they are worried about getting shafted again.

“No one wants to talk about the realities of farming until they can’t put food on the table and that’s where Labour is taking us.”