A Southland micro-abattoir is “opening doors” for farmers wanting to sell the meat they produce. The Grocer co-owner Craig Phillips said a micro-abattoir in Lorneville had been processing farmed cattle, sheep, pigs and goats for commercial sale since November last year. “It’s something we’ve always aspired to do, so it is good to finally get it across the line and I think only good things will come from it.” It was the only micro-abattoir in the South Island processing more than one species for commercial sale, he said. The Grocer would continue to process home-kill livestock for personal use, as usual. The selling or trading of home kill meat remains illegal. Now was the time to process farmed livestock for commercial sale in the abattoir because Ministry for Primary Industries had refined its risk management programme, he said. In December last year, Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard announced micro-abattoirs would be subject to reduced sampling and testing requirements. Under the new rules, a minimum of 30 carcasses were required to be sampled in the first season, reducing to 12 in subsequent seasons, compared to a requirement of 60 samples for most animals. Mr Phillips said the micro-abattoir ensured security of supply for their three butcher shops in Invercargill, Lorneville and Woodlands. Cattle and store lambs and hoggets were fattened on the business owners’ respective farms, a 12ha block in Underwood and a 24ha block Woodlands. Previously the livestock from the properties were slaughtered at Prime Range Meats plant near Invercargill. Often it could be a challenge for farmers to get a small number of livestock accepted for slaughter in a bigger abattoir. “We are bridging the gap for the smaller punters.” The sheep numbers customers had supplied for processing had ranged between one and 100, he said. Four staff had trained to become licensed meat inspectors in the micro-abattoir. Farmers needed to complete an animal status declaration when sending animals for slaughter at the micro-abattoir. Any fear of the abattoir increasing meat supply for sale and reducing demand in the The Grocer shops was short-lived, Mr Phillips said. “We might as well get a wee slice of the pie, otherwise they’ll find another avenue to get it killed and we will miss out completely.” shawn.mcavinue@alliedmedia.co.nz
