Resistance des abattoirs locaux en zone de montagne et filieres de qualite

In Switzerland, the number of abattoirs has dramatically decreased in the last ten years (-24,2 %). This is especially true for small structures (- 25,7 %). The modifications of the legislation after the various meat scandals are partially responsible for this decrease. As a matter of fact, the measures with regard to ensure a high quality in meat and to reassure consumers lead to investments that can only be met with difficulty by small abattoirs. In mountainous areas we observe that the required renovation of small abattoirs and, in certain cases, even new premises are financed by the communities. The reason for this support is an effort to keep agriculture in those regions. In interviews with professionals of the meat sector, three factors for this extraordinary support for abattoirs were highlighted. First, a local abattoir provides the meat producers with nearby slaughtering facilities for urgent slaughtering, and the transporting of the animals can be kept short. Second, consumer-proximity and directed ways of distribution and sale is assured. Finally, there is a will to maintain small local abattoirs to develop and improve the supply chains of quality products. Preserving small local abattoirs is essential for their impact in terms of agricultural dynamism in mountainous areas, of value creation, and of externalities. A comprehensive understanding of these different interacting mechanisms should allow the state and the professionals of the meat sector to find common solutions.