Machinery theft is a frustrating fact of life for many farmers in our region. But those who provide food to our tables face a sinister new threat.
Organized crime gangs, who stole tractors, diggers, other facilities and Global Positioning Systems, now turned to killing cattle in the fields and selling their meat. A rise in illegal slaughter is putting meat eaters at risk and causing mental anguish to farmers, the newly appointed police cattle crime tsar warns.
This lucrative trade, in which some animals are brutally killed and dismembered in fields, puts unwitting buyers at risk of ingesting drug residues, animal diseases and food poisoning from meat kept in unhygienic conditions.
The cost of rural crime in the North West is an estimated £3.2 million in 2023; This is a slight increase of 1.4 percent from 2022. The national figure rose by 4.3 per cent to £52.8 million, according to NFU Mutual. Animals worth £2.7 million were stolen across the UK last year.
There are 819 farms in Greater Manchester (NFU members) and 2,648 in Cheshire.
As well as being unsafe for consumers, illegal slaughter can cause unnecessary animal suffering and have a serious emotional and financial impact on farming communities. There are reports of cows having their tendons cut and sheep being strangled with rope to prevent them from escaping.
Martin Beck has recently been appointed as the first UK-wide livestock theft prevention officer at the National Rural Crime Unit (NRCU). Its mission is to build expertise and coordinate intelligence to combat crime. The 30-year police veteran and rural crime expert says the rise is due to organized crime and corruption within the meat industry.
One of the methods they use is ‘ghost animals’; where cattle passports (cattle must be identified by a pair of certified ear tags and accompanied by identification documents) are used for another animal when the original owner dies. “People in the industry know how to abuse this,” he said.
“Ear tags are easy to cut and replace, and young animals are less likely to wear ear tags. They can then be introduced to the legal market with a new tag.”
NFU Deputy President David Exwood is urging the public to be very careful where they buy their meat as it may lack traceability, standards and stringent food safety checks involving industry professionals and health inspectors.
He said: “When we hear reports of animals being slaughtered in fields it is incredibly worrying. These events significantly impact livestock breeders, causing them to incur major financial losses to their businesses and emotional distress because they care deeply about their animals and their well-being.
“We know that where animals are slaughtered and the meat is often sold on the black market, where this can pose a risk to human health, those responsible are often organized crime gangs.”
Mr Beck said: “It takes skill and organization to round up cattle and transport them in a van or trailer. If seen they look like farmers and are rarely challenged. There is no natural surveillance in the countryside so it is an easy crime to commit.”
Stolen meat usually goes to takeaways and sometimes to butchers. “Most butchers are great, but there are exceptions in every industry,” he added. “Some butchers buy meat without question,” he added.
Adventurous foodies are another reason for illegal slaughter. There is demand for ‘skin-on’ products, also known as ‘smokies’, a West African delicacy in which the feathers and wool of a sheared sheep or goat carcass are burned and the skin is left attached to the meat. This gives meat a unique taste when cooked and is popular in many British cities. The National Sheep Association (NSA) estimates that this market could use up to 100,000 culled sheep per year in the UK.
Despite the demand, its production and even import remains illegal due to inspection regulations that follow the slaughtering process.
According to NSA CEO Phil Stocker: “The UK suffers from illegal imports of skinned sheep and the illegal preparation of skinned sheep to meet demand, and the knock-on effect of this is a risk to human health through the use of drugs and the lack of declarations regarding drug use.” .withdrawal periods, risks to sheep welfare due to illegal slaughter and sheep theft due to legal unavailability of products.”
NFU Mutual Rural Insurance Specialist Andrew Chalk said: “Our latest claims data shows livestock theft costing an estimated £2.7 million in 2023, the same amount as in 2022. As well as the financial cost usually covered by insurance, livestock Theft causes great damage to farmers.
“It interferes with important breeding lines and can undo months of hard work and care, as well as causing serious distress to farmers who care deeply about their animals.
“Last year we saw an increase in worrying incidents of livestock being slaughtered in their fields, and NFU Mutual representatives reported that thefts were increasingly planned and thought out; This is a huge concern for all farmers and a reminder that we are not necessarily taking precautions. “I know where the meat of stolen animals goes.”
NRCU launched Operation Foldyard to focus policing activities and encourage agencies with livestock responsibilities to work together.
Mr Beck said: “Food safety and disease risk are high on the farming agenda. Livestock theft is a challenging problem facing the industry, but what progress has been made in understanding the problem; Who are the criminals? How do they work? Are the disease and public health risks known and what can be done to reduce theft?
“The role of the Livestock Theft Coordinator is important for both the industry and the police. While farmers want to trust that the police are doing everything they can to deter and catch criminals, the police also need to trust their own actions to do so. “My role will provide further support to forces in the UK in dealing with the problem.”
“Police cannot tackle animal theft alone and we need those in the farming and meat industry to speak up and help us fight this crime.
“One farmer a week dies by suicide. We have to help these people.”
In a sign of the increasing organization and sophistication of criminals, Global Positioning System (GPS) units have been targeted by gangs throughout 2023, causing the value of claims made to NFU Mutual to skyrocket by 137% to an estimated £4.2 million .
Thieves often target several farms in one night before moving locations to steal these highly valuable and portable kits, often revisiting farmyards weeks later to steal new ones.
Intelligence gathered by police forces showed farms in Lincolnshire, Essex, Newport, North Yorkshire and the Thames Valley were being targeted by organized criminals and thieves were trying to steal GPS systems.
Used on farms around the world to provide precise positioning for planting and harvesting operations, GPS systems have become one of the most targeted pieces of agricultural equipment due to their high value and portability.
The high-tech equipment, which often costs over £10,000 per unit, is used to guide tractors and combines to improve accuracy. Without this, farmers and agricultural contractors may face serious delays and disruptions in harvesting and planting.
NFU Mutual Rural Affairs Specialist Hannah Binns said: “All indications are that rural crime is becoming more organised, sophisticated and determined in nature, which is incredibly worrying for people living and working in rural areas.”
“Our latest report highlights that Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are the hot ticket item for criminals throughout 2023, with thieves turning to the technology to pinpoint locations and steal these highly valuable and portable kits across the country. Intelligence also reveals that criminals are likely to relocate multiple sites overnight before relocating.” It reveals that farms were targeted and returned weeks later to find new ones.”
“Not only does the theft of these vital kits cause serious disruption, preventing farmers from harvesting their crops in optimal condition, it can also be extremely stressful and distressing.”