The quiet loss reshaping our food system

This week, I want to talk about something that doesn’t often make headlines — but really should.
Small abattoirs. And why we should all care that they’re disappearing.

Now, I get that “abattoir” isn’t the most charming word. But behind every ethical meat producer is a processing facility — and the size, care, and location of that facility makes a huge difference to animal welfare, food quality, and farmer freedom.

For us — and for many of the incredible regenerative farmers we work with — small abattoirs are absolutely vital. They allow animals to be processed locally, with less stress, shorter transport times, and more traceability.

Without them, farmers are forced to send livestock to large, centralised facilities, sometimes hundreds of kilometres away. That means:

• more stress on the animals

• less transparency in how meat is handled

• and higher costs for small producers who don’t get the same treatment as the big guys

It’s also a huge blow to rural communities. These smaller facilities employ locals, keep skills alive, and give farmers more control over how their animals are processed and sold. Lose them, and we lose another piece of what makes our food system fair, local, and connected.

We’re very fortunate that one of our key suppliers uses an on-farm processing facility — meaning their animals never leave the land they were raised on. It’s a model that reflects everything we believe in: low stress, local, and deeply respectful.

But we know not every farmer has access to that. And without small abattoirs, ethical meat becomes harder — and more expensive — to produce.

At The Good Farm Shop, we care deeply about where our food comes from — and how it gets to you. Supporting local, regenerative, and humane meat means fighting for the systems that make it possible.

Warmly,
The Good Farm Shop team