While we’re not currently seeing any wider water supply problems affecting BMPA members, the break in water supply at the 2 Sisters site in Willand which caused a two day shut-down was of real concern to the whole industry. Fortunately, only one processing plant was directly impacted, but had the disruption affected multiple sites the consequences could have been far more significant.

BMPA CEO, John Powell said: “Meat processing depends on a continuous supply of water to meet essential food safety and hygiene requirements. If water companies are able to simply switch off supplies to processing plants, the implications extend well beyond individual businesses. There are potentially serious animal welfare consequences, as well as risks to food security and the UK’s export markets.

“The industry is resilient and processors invest heavily in contingency planning wherever possible. However, while it’s feasible to hold strategic reserves of carbon dioxide, storing the volumes of water required to keep a modern processing plant operating is a much greater challenge.

“We would therefore like to see water companies working much more closely with industry and government to ensure food processing sites have continuous access to water, irrespective of wider pressures on local supplies. Protecting water supplies for critical food production is essential if we are to safeguard animal welfare, maintain food production and protect the resilience of the UK’s food supply chain.”