Tag Archives: Australian co-operative abattoir

Oberon

Australian Abattoirs, New South Wales, Oberon 20/05/2014 Leave a comment

Located 200km east of Sydney, Privately owned facility that was shut for a period due to a business deal. Re-opened in 2014 targeting Asian market preferences in Sydney.

Other Names

  • Unknown

Current Operation

  • Is currently operating in 2014.

Location   

  • Oberon is approximately 200km east of Sydney, on the western side of the Great dividing range.

Oberon

Oberon #2Hema Maps – Australia Truckies atlas.

Owner

  • Privately owned.2
    • Manager Andrew McLeod.2

Operation   

 

History

2010

2014

  • February. Abattoir re-started2
  • Had been closed for last 2 1/2 years due to sour business deal2
  • Will fill demand for Asian style processing of smaller stock2
    • processing goats, lambs, deer and beef2
    • Chinese prefer a skin-on burnt2
      • Processed through a hot tub, hair is beaten off and skin stays on, then hair is burnt off and gives a crisp golden colour2
      • large market demand in Sydney2
  • Currently employing 16 people2
    • intentions to employ up to 402

 

Sources

  1. Abattoir industry in a disastrous state. ABC rural. 16.02.2010
  2. ‘Oberon abattoir back in operation’ ABC rural. 24.02.14

Devonport

Australian Abattoirs, Beef processing abattoir, Devonport, Sheep processing abattoir, Tasmania 29/12/2013 Leave a comment

Devonport abattoir, located in Tasmania and owned by JBS, a multi species abattoir with a checkered past.

Other Names

  • North West Rendering8
  • Devonport City abattoir.

Current Operation

  • Aus Meat Accreditation registration dated 29/12/2015 #13T – JBS Australia Pty Ltd (Devonport).18
    • registered as a Beef, Sheep and Pig, Domestic facility.16
  • Direct employment enquiries to www.jbssa.com.au

Location   

  • Devonport is located approximately midway on the Northern coast of Tasmania

Australia. Devonport

DevonportHema Maps – Australia Truckies atlas.

Owner

Operation 

  • Multi species abattoir located ajacent to Devonport saleyards1

    • Processes beef, sheep and pork1
    • Capacity 150 beef daily and 1,200 Smallstock daily (Lamb, mutton, Veal and Pork)1
  • Employs 150 people1

History

1977

  • Devonport rendering plant had been in operation6
    • Note – some conflict of when abattoir operations began, not sure if 1977 was a previous owner prior to Devonport City abattoir acquisition.

1980

  • Meatworks operation began9

1995

  • August. Employee Ian Sutton sacked by abattoir for mistreatment of sheep, Industrial relations hearing of Ian Sutton was supported by AMIEU for unfair dismissal – court dismissed and sacking held.10

1997

  • Expanded rendering works.5

2000

  • October. Quoiba Progress Association Ltd v North West Rendering Pty Ltd. – Resource Management and Planning appeal tribunal found that the rendering works had caused material harm in breach of section 52 of the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act.5
    • Facility was to cease operating unless after 12 months it could reduce emissions of odour by 2 odour units.5
    • NWR given 18 months to fix odour problems7

2001

  • Rendering works was the only facility in Tasmania taking external meat waste from around the state to5

2002

  • March. Contested hearing conducted – regarding Rendering works – to consider if had complied with tribunal orders5
    • residents still experiencing odour problems7
    • Works operators and Director of Environmental management submitted to hearing that rendering works had “substantially complied”5
    • Quoiba Progress association disputed claim.5
    • Tribunal found rendering works hadn’t complied – effectively ruling that after 27 April 2002 operation of the rendering works at the current premises in Quoiba was unlawful5
    • Given 12 months to relocate7
    • NWR commenced supreme court action challenging original decision5
      • Judge ruled testing regime for acceptable odour emissions as set out in original orders was too unclear7
      • Matter set back to original tribunal panel to decide if any fresh orders should be made.7
  • June. Smithton abattoir (Tas) retrenches 21 workers.11
    • Blue Ribbon (owners of Smithton) insolvent and collapse.12
  • Devonport says it is doing well but calls for inquiry into the state meat industry11
  • September. Agreement reached for new site for rendering plant8
    • Previous negotiations had considered operating hours and ungrades.8
      • Planning & Appeals tribunal decreed odour still unacceptable.8
    • NRW have agreed with Websters to purchase 65ac near Parramatta creek.8
    • Cost of $3M8

2003

  • August. Installed $125,000 bio-oxygen odour control generator at the rendering plant6
    • Local residents had complained of smells since 19776
  • Abattoir had considered relocated but was unable to find suitable land in the last 12 months6
  • Would have to sack 200 people if business was closed6
  • September. Resource Management and Planning Tribunal would rule on decision to allow plant to operate or close it down6

2004

  • Devonport City abattoir had owned Wignalls – sold to Tasma smallgoods in Hobart.
    • focus on contract killings at Devonport (Quoiba) site

2005

  • July.Tasman Group purchase Devonport facilities.9
  • Resource Management and Planning tribunal hearing7
    • North West Rendering Pty Ltd (NWR) confirmed that the rendering plant and land had been sold and the company was no longer involved with the operation of the plant – to Tasman Group Services (JBS)7
    • NWR changed name to Brown and Grey No2 Pty Ltd.5
    • Quoiba progress Association to work with new owners to address odour problems.7
    • Tribunal was unable to make any orders in relation to ongoing plant operations7

2006

  • Tasman Group Chairman – Giuseppe Catalfamo brided Cole’s head of supermarket merchadising Peter Scott (Coles fired Scott in 2007).13
    • Scott had acquired million dollar bayside apartment from Catalfamo13
    • Considered a breach of retailers code of conduct – Tasman group main supplier of beef in Victoria and Tasmania13
    • Catalfamo been caught bribing and meat substitution in past – horse-meat substitution scandel that threatened Australia’s export industry 20 years ago, fined and banned from exporting to the USA for 10 years.13
  • Devonport abattoir provides Woolworths with fresh sausages for 29 Tasmanian stores13
  • Tasman Group – report ending 200513
    • sales had increased 30% but profit halved to $6.3M13
    • Company borrowings total nearly $62M13
      • Main creditors – National Australia Bank, ANZ and Japanese meat company Hannan Corporation13

2008

  • JBS purchased as part of Tasman group when entered Australia with acquitsition of AMH3
  • Tasman Group consists of abattoirs in Tasmania – Longford, Devonport and King Island14
    • Tasman group 3 abattoirs in Tasmania including King Island and 3 in Victoria.14
    • JBS paid $US150M14
  • JBS also purchased Smithfield Group $US565M14
    • Has four abattoirs14
  • JB also purchase National Beef $US560M14
    • Has three abattoirs14
    • 2 meat processing facilities14

2011

  • JBS elect to combine it’s US and Australian beef processing results into a common finanical report presented at ‘US beef’.22
  • Impossible to distinguish Australia’s performance and contribution to the overall result.22

2012

  • JBS Australia split into two operating entities to make Northern and Southern regions in relation to abattoirs and feedlots within those areas15.
    • South – Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania15
    • North – NSW and QLD.15

2013

  • Closure of King Island abattoir (Tas) assisted the supply of cattle to Longford.
  • JBS “Company is still pleased with its decision to close (King Island)” John Berry. JBS director2
    • Islands King Island and Flinders supply 200-450 head cattle a week, higher in spring run.3
    • Longford process 450 cattle a day – 4 day week roster.3
  • King Island cattle supply receives freight subsidy – sliding scale – $26 into Stanley in proximity to Smithton abattoir (Tas), $30 into Devonport4.Where cattle can be sent to Devonport or Longford abattoir (Tas)
    • Scale acts as disincentive to increase freight efficency.4
  • September. JBS launch brand launch.20

Beef central 27.09.2013 logo

Great Southern Logo. Source Beef Central 27.09.2013

  • Great Southern grassfed beef and lamb.20
    • Products first of their type in Australia.20
    • third party audited program JAS/ANZ ISO.20
    • 65 accredited farm quality assurance programs backing the brand.20
    • huge demand in domestic and global customers for traceable fresh grassfed meat.20
      • supplied by best practice producers with better livestock genetics.20
      • MSA graded for eating quality.20
      • Farmers would receive premium prices.20
        • 10c/kg premium applied to grid for UK.20
        • 650 farmers through NSW, Vic & Tasmania accredited to supply the program.20
        • Audit costs (for farmers) are paid by JBS.20
          • Audits conducted by AsureQuality.20
        • Animals are consigned driect to JBS.20
        • forward pricing.20
        • Animals consigned through saleyards would not be eligible.20
  • “Today the margins are so tight that if you want a point of difference and that premium or no discount, you have got to be involved with quality assurance” Jeremy Upton, Producer.20
  • November. JBS Swift Australia install closed-circuit television camera’s (CCTV) in it’s Australian meatworks.21
    • For the purpose of animal welfare and meatworker safety issues.21
    • CCTV for internal use by only JBS, with no plans to allow outsiders to view the footage.21
  • JBS’s US beef division (which includes Australia) delivered drop in net sales and earnings in it’s third quarter financial results.22
    • Australia’s division performance and overall contribution to the overall result is impossible to distinguish due to inclusion with US and Canadian beef processing results.22
    • Earnings before tax $134M,.22
      • Down by 22.5% on previous quarter.22
      • Down by 28.4% on third quarter last year.22
    • result reflection of domestic North American markets.22
      • Improved performance had occured in Australian.22
        • Demand had increased in Chinese markets.22

2014

  • April. Devonport currently employ 150 people.19
  • July. JBS Australia across all facilities in operation kills daily.15
    • 8,500 cattle,15
    • 24,000 smalls – which includes lambs15
    • Employs more than 8,000 people15
  • December.
    • JBS currently operate 12 meat processing plants across 5 Australian states16
      • Wages & local procurement $730M (Excluding livestock purchases)16
      • Employs 8,500 people at the facilities16
        • Employs 12,000 people in Australia16
      • Total revenue of $6.5B16

    JBS plants 2014_edited-1

    JBS processing plants in Australia

    Source JBS submission #50 Market Consolidation.

    • JBS estimates its current share of four eastern states beef kill – 20% (excludes service kill)16
      • JBS share of Australian beef production 16%16
      • Market share of national small (lamb, mutton & goat) 16%
    • JBS spent $2.4M on halal certification costs of approved religious certifiers in 201416

    2015

    • June. Cost of processing in Australia 1.5-3 times the cost of processing animals in another country16
    • cost of processing grain-fed cattle in Australia is twice of the USA16
      • lower levels of productivity in Australia in regards to kg per unit of labour16
      • 2 major differences between Australia and the USA8
        1. Government regulation
          • $10 a head more in Australia16
          • Dept. of Australian Agriculture fully recover costs of meat export inspection and certification16
            • Australia wide DAFF costs $80M16
            • JBS contribute $14.5M16
          • Export plants don’t use DAFF but use approved employees, which plants fully cover costs16
            • JBS estimate an additional $30M at Export level16
          • USA & Brazil governments provide services at no or minimal costs to processors16
        2. Energy Costs
          • $15 a head more in Australia16
      • Technical barriers to trade (TBT’s)- Total value in Australia estimated at $1.25B as identified costs16
        • 261 TBT’s in 40 key markets16
          • 136 have significant trade distortion impacts16
  • December. ATO publishes tax data for agribusiness corporates.17
    • Data interpretation – Companies do not pay company tax on revenue (total income) they pay on profits after paying all expenses, including wages, capital replacement, supplier costs and other operating expenses.17
    • Income tax information is for 2013/14.17
    • JBS Holdco Australia Pty Ltd produced Total Income $4,040,948,610.17
      • Taxable Income $419,882,525.17
        • Tax Payable $44,809,334.17

 

Sources Devonport Tas. JBS

  1. http://www.jbsswift.com.au
  2. ‘Abattoir closure continues to bite’ ABC News 14.09.13.
  3. ‘Expansion plans ahead for JBS Longford – One of Australia’s most versatile meat plants’ Beef Central 18.10.13.
  4. ‘King Island freight subsidy fight’ ABC rural. 17.09.2013
  5. Environmental Defenders Office (Tas) inc. Bulletin Dec 2002.
  6. ‘Hope for NW abattoir jobs as stink fades’ Examiner 04.09.2003.
  7. Journal – ‘Impact’ – #79 Sept 2005.
  8. ‘NW rendering plant to Move’ ABC rural 04.09.2002
  9. ‘Devonport abattoir sold’ ABC rural 15.07.2005
  10. AMIEU v Devonport City Abattoir T5776 of 1995
  11. ‘Devonport City abattoir doing well’ ABC rural. 26.06.2002
  12. ‘Australia: Smithton abattoir to reopen tomorrow’ Just foods. 04.03.2002
  13. ‘Woolies sticks by kickback butcher’ SMH. 15.01.2007
  14. ‘Big Beef producer cuts deal with Tasman Group’ The Age. 06.03.2008
  15. ‘The next Swift Shift’ The Weekly Times. 30.07.2014
  16. sub50_JBS Inquiry into the effect of market consolidation on the red meat processing sector
  17. ‘ATO publishes tax data for agribusiness corporates’ Beef Central 18.12.2015
  18. AUS-MEAT Accreditation Listing 29.12.2015
  19. ‘JBS expands its books’ Stock & Land 24.04.2014
  20. ‘JBS unveils new QA driven southern grassfed brand program’ Beef Central 27.09.2013
  21. ‘Swift CCTV camera action’ Weekly Times 13.11.2013
  22. ‘JBS delivers lower third quarter beef sales, revenue’ Beef Central 14.11.2013

Cranbourne

Australian Abattoirs, Cranbourne, Victoria 23/12/2013 Leave a comment

Cranbourne abattoir (Wagstaff) is located SW of Melbourn, extensively damaged by fire in 2013, multi species plant employing 250 people.

Other Names

  • Ralph’s Family abattoir2
  • Wagstaff abattoir2

Current Operation

  • fire extensively damaged the facility March 2013 – Not sure of current operation.

Location   

  • Cranbourne is a south western suburb of Melbourne, approximately 35km from the CBD.

Australia. Cranbourne

Cranbourne

Hema Maps – Australia Truckies atlas.

Owner

  • Ralph founding family members.2

Operation  

  • Two tier export licensed plant2
  • Has capacity to process 300 cattle and 2500-3000 sheep a day2
  • Employed 250 people2
  • provided service kill and boning program for local producers and suppliers.2
  • Multi species processing abattoir2

History

1908

  • Established to service the growing population of Melbourne.2

2006

  • Chronic labour shortage in meat industry and meat processors are accussed of using 457 temporary visa programs to bring in skilled labour but underpaying and using the people for other work positions.1
    • Visas granted to industries nationwide (not only meat processors) jumped 40% from previous year.1
    • Freeze was placed on 457 Visa applications to meatworks by Government over concerns of breachs of conditions. – Delays are said to be hampering meatwork operations1
      • lack of employees have some processors throwing product away rather than be processed due to lack of labour and is causing missed opportunities in export markets1
    • 457 Visa means worker must stay with employer for 4 years, Meant to meet criteria of skilled slaughtermen and only used for that position, not as unskilled labourers, boners.1
    • Recruitment companies find the workers and match to employer, usually the employer finds accommodation and deducts rent and travel from workers salaries – AMIEU claim exorbitant rents are being charged1
    • Union complaining that 457 Visas workers. “Workers who are being brough into Australia are in many cased being exploited.are being abused , and not being paid correctly and being misued at work” Graham Bird AMIEU1
    • Cranbourne employ 20 Chinese workers – they are bussed to the abattoir from homes rented by the company, all 457 visas. – Cranbourne say its operations all above board1
    • Murray Bridge abattoir (SA) subject of Government investigation of if 457 Visa holders are doing other jobs.1
    • Western Australia had 36 Investigations, 80% of employers found to be in breach of conditions and WA department of employment protection recovered $200,000 in underpayment of wages (Authors note – article didn’t specify if across all industries or only meat processing)1

2008

  • Operations changed and Ralph’s Meat company spilt – one extension taking over Cranbourne facility (Operates as Wagstaff)  and the original company operating a another abattoir at Seymour (Operates Ralph Meat Co)2

2013

  • March. Fire caused extensive damage to approximately 60% of the building2
    • Thought to have begun as an electrical fire in the roof.2
    • Insulation used in refrigertion make abattoir fires notoriously hard to control2
    • Sheep and cattle  were penned in close proximity to the building on fire, they were able to be moved but 2 sheep died from stress.2

Sources

  1. ‘Meat Industry accused of exploiting foreign workers’ ABC 7.30 report 31.07.2006
  2. ‘Fire guts Victoria’s Cranbourne meatworks’ Beef Central 25.03.13

Warragul

Australian Abattoirs, Beef processing abattoir, Sheep processing abattoir, Victoria, Warragul 16/11/2013 Leave a comment

Other Names

  • Radford’s1
  • R Radford and Sons abattoir3

Current Operation

  • Currently operating at 16.11.2013

Location   

  • Warragul is approximately 120km south east of Melbourne.

Australia. Warragul

Warragul 001Hema Maps – Australia Handy map – 9th edition

Owner

  • Radford’s1
    • Family-owned meat processing business3
    • Managing director – Robert Radford1

Operation  

  •  At 2011 processing 120,000 sheep and lambs and 80,000 cattle per year2
  • Operate 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year3
    • 1,400 cattle and 2,500 lambs a week3
    • Currently processing sheep and cattle but looking to process goats in the future5
    • Currently domestic processing 18-21kg carcases boutique markets5
    • Process lamb for different domestic cultural and religious festivals5
      • lambs need to be very lean 116-18kg5
      • Italian community like 18-20kg5
      • Vietnamese and Chinese want very lean 20-22kg, no fat5
      • Warragul own a retail shop in Kyneton, this has added to tourist trade5
    • Export markets
      • Middle east require a very lean carcase under 18kg5
        • cook meat slowly and too much fat congeals at top of pots5
      • Lamb and mutton exported both whole and 6-way cuts, fresh and frozen air freight5
    • 15% production is certified organic5
      • 40-50% growth in organic meat processing in lst 3-5 years5
  • Animals sourced all over Victoria, In SA Mt Gambier and Naracoorte, In NSW as far as Gunnedah, at times also Tasmania.3

Warragul stock sourceSource Hema maps – Australia Handy map 9th edition

Figure 1 – showing area from which Warragul abattoir source animals across South east Australia

  • Animal Welfare practices3
    • animals are stunned with electric stunner, cattle knocked unconcious prior to slaughter3
    • Stunning is audited and people are specifically trained for the stunning role3
    • Primesafe -Victorian meat authority conduct regular audits at least 3-4 times a year3
    • Audits are unannounced inspections3
      • “Focus on animal welfare is critical to the success of an abattoirs relationship to its suppliers and customers” Robert Radford, Manager5
      • There are sound business reasons to conduct rules of treatment and slaughter of animals.3
        • business can be closed instantly for breaches3
        • Plant invested heavily to allow animals to rest prior to slaughter3
        • Stock yards are covered in sawdust to soften footing. – then is reused as fertlizer3
        • stressed animals create poor quality meat cutting so better welfare is a better animal carcase produced3
          • stockyards are undercover and allow 750 cattle to be held.3
          • Animals allowed up to 48 hours rest before slaughter5
    • Prediction of meat quality use3
      • PH level as indication3
      • hanging method of carcase is tender stretching and not hung from achilles3
    • Resources used3
      • water was a major problem in the drought – using 100,000 litres per day,3
        • not connected to mains water and had no access to ground water3
        • developed a recycling of own effluent waste3
        • developed with help of governmentm cost $1.1M3
    • Products
      • skins – are all sold as tenders to various markets and graded to their quality3
        • skins often to China – car seat covers, shoe lining, clothing5
      • Offal and other byproducts are value added, producing tallow and meat meal5
    • Business
      • need to constantly look at Research and development to consider productivity, running costs and new technology to increase through-put3
      • Looking to enter Halal export markets5
      • Domestic Halal is common, enables offal byproducts to be sold for human consumption5
      • Only some victoria abattoirs allowed to do Kosher processing5
    • Slaughter process
      • Last 20 years focus is meat processing and wholesalers5
      • After each kill – meat buyers mark up (rate) bodies at 5am each morning, looking at quality and matching to orders4
        • Average 120 bodies – 60 will get top money, 30 OK, 15 barely cover costs and 15 probably lose money due to bruising or cutting dark4
        • “You’ll get your money on 50% of the beef bodies, the next 20-30% you’ll make a bit on, and the rest you’ll go backwards by about $40 to $50 a body” Danny Hood – Meat Wholesaler4
        • Being a perishable item, aim is to have the kill sold and placed within 7 days4
        • Price spread across beef bodies of 100c/kg carcass weight4
        • Domestic to wholesaler mark up is approximately 50-70c/kg4
        • 200kg carcase from abattoir has markup about $140 by wholesaler to cover transport, processing fees and delivery charges.4
    • Employees
      • Warragul employees average 10 years of continuous service6
      • In 60 years of trading not lost a single day to industrial disputes6
      • All employees require Certificate 2 status in food processing6

History

1944

  • Father began business as one-man slaughterhouse
    • on-man slaughterhouses were in most towns, Warragul had 6.

     

1946

  • Radfords – Warragul established6

2007

  • Involved in delegation of 200 Victorian food manufacturers to develop worlds first  global halal brand, invited by the Brunei government.1
  • Note from Managing director R Radford and Son – 28/02/2014 – Radfords were a participant in the delegation to Brunei, any publications stating or implying that R Radford and Son process meat for halal markets are incorrect. R Radford and Son do not and have never processed meat for halal markets and have not sought accreditation.1

2011

  • Won awards2
    1. NAB agribusiness leader of the year2
      • In past decade Warragul have doubled processing to 80,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and lambs a year.2
    2. Environment and Energy management2
      • Reduced consumption of electricity by 4.17%2
      • Reduced gas consumption by 30.5%2
      • Reduced fuel use by 19.2%2
      • Reduced water use by 44.5%2

    2012

  • Up to 2012 had invested $8.3M in new plant. equipment and supporting infrastructure

Sources

  1. ‘Victorians work on first global halal brand’ The Age 24.09.2007
  2. ‘Abattoir leads way’ Pakenham Gazette star community 07.12.2011
  3. ‘A cut above’ ABC Landline 21.10.13.
  4. ‘Story behind beef retail prices’ Weekly Times 10.10.2013
  5. ‘Abattoirs cater to emerging markets’ Stock Journal 26.09.2013
  6. http://www.radfordmeats.com
  7. Inquiry into the impact of food safety regulation on farms and other business 18.10.12.
  8. Personnal Communication. R Radford. 28.02.2014

Blayney

Australian Abattoirs, Blayney, New South Wales 08/11/2013 Leave a comment

Other Names

  • ANZCO abattoir

Current Operation

  • closed 19982

Location   

Australia. Blayney

Blayney

Hema Maps – Australia Truckies atlas.

Owner

  • McPhee Meats2
  • 1996 – ANZCO1
  • Manager – Neville Newton, now managing Goulburn4

Other abattoirs in Australia

Go to this link to view Location of Australian Abattoirs

abattoirs_edited-1   

Operation  of Blayney #155

  • Sheep processing facility6

History

1900

  • Freezing works3

1957

  • abattoir opened, had been a freezing works prior. Latter tannery and pet food plant3

1976 – Not sure if this is correct because in 88 frieght company say they worked for Blayney’s last 43 years.

1963

  • February. At this time is an export facility operated by Blayney (Abattoir) County council6
    • Has chilling, freezing and freezing storage facilities6

1976

  • Tenders for contract to build beef facilities1 –
    • 2 story building, 1,800 sq m, able to process 100 head cattle per hour1
    • Electrical, Mechancial, Ventalation, Visera tables1
    • To commence construction November 19761

1987

  • Nov. Is registered at this time as an export facility
    • Operating under the name – Blayney Abattoir

1996

  • ANZCO bought insolvent abattoir from MPhee Meats – left unsecured creditors owed $6M2

1997

  • July. Is registered at this time as an export facility8
    • Operating under the name ANZCO foods Pty Ltd8

1998

  • April. Operations scaled back in recent weeks, Some 1,600 staff had previously been employed, now there was barely 1005
  • May. Closed – reason cited by ANZCO- stock shortage2
    • Industry sources say ANZCO left with large stocks or unsol meat as a result of Asian currency crisis2
    • NSW Meat Industry Authority (MIA)”there is definitely no shortage of stock or supply”2
    • “This year cattle killed in abattoirs have averaged 43,000 head a week an increase on average of 10,000 head over last the last year(dated 10.03.1998) Richard Tpnner, MIA2
    • AMIEU – suspect economic factors rather than stock shortages were behind closure2
    • sacked workers given one weeks notice – 580 people2
    • AMIEU accused ANZCO avoiding termination payments and redundancies – could be millions of dollars. – by citing seasonal factors allows ANZCO 8 month lee period before being deemed at closed for purpose of redundancy liability2
    • Blayney refus to indicate how long plant closed for.2
  • Refrigerated transport business who carried livestock and refrigerated meat for abattoir last 43 years also closed and selling 14 prime movers and trailers – abattoir was seasonal and not suited to transport company2
  • other recent closures Grafton, Gunnedah and Canberra2

2010

  • March. Aus meat listing of March 2010 doesn’t show Blayney #155 abattoir as a registered facility9.

2014

  • September. Proposal is put to council to build a new goat abattoir in the region20
    • Proposed $38M10
      • Facility would be attached to existing Blayney Sealink Cold store complex10
      • Plans have been submitted to council11
        • Expectations to commence building middle 201511

2016

  • June. Approval has not yet been received for development to go ahead11
    • Environmental concerns with 25 objections received11

 

Sources

  1. ‘New beef facilities – calling for tenders’ The Age 08.09.1976
  2. ‘600 sacked workers given just a weeks pay’ Sydney morning herald. 10.03.1998. http://www.abattoirs.com.au
  3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blayney,_New_South_Wales
  4. ‘Abattoir industry in a disastrous state’ ABC Rural 16.02.10
  5. Parliamentary Hansard. Speaker Mr RW Turner. 30.04.1998
  6. World on a plate – A history of meat processing in Australia. Stephen Martyn. 2014
  7. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-12/2438-million-goat-abattoir-proposal-for-blayney-sparks-efforts/5739222
  8. Aus Meat July 1997 Listing
  9. Aus Meat Mar 2010 Listing
  10. ‘Investing $38M at Blayney’ The Land 18/09/2014
  11. ‘Developers expect $38M Blayney …….’ Central Western Daily 07/06/2016

Bega.#. NSW

Australian Abattoirs, Bega, New South Wales, Small species abattoir 05/11/2013 Leave a comment

Bega was a domestic, service kill abattoir of small animals such as rabbits and poultry.

Unknown if currently in operation

Other Names

Current Operation

  • Unsure as at 06.11.2013.

Location   

  •  Bega is located 150km South east of Canberra, NSW east coast.

Australia. template Bega

Bega 002

Hema Maps – Australia Truckies atlas.

Owner

  • Co-operative owned – Bega Valley Gourmet meats co-operative small species1

Other abattoirs in Australia

Go to this link to view Location of Australian Abattoirs

abattoirs_edited-1   

Operation of Bega. NSW

  • Small species abattoir to process rabbits and poultry1
  • Service kill abattoir for local producers of small species1
  • Encouraged backyard breeders of small species to have animals processed at Bega and improve self suffiency2
  • Provided service to homesteaders and small scale farmers across the Bega valley

History

2004

  • June. Opened1

2012

  • Sept. “Despite rising costs for meat processors, small private orders can be profitable for abattoirs” Philip Wolf – Bega Valley Gourmet meats2

2013

  • Mar. May be forced to close
  • Only 2 members left and supplies of chicken and rabbits have waned3
  • Processing less than 100 animals, at peak was processing 800, abattoir has a very uncertain future.3
  • “Cost of keeping this place going has risen dramatically since we started nearly ten years ago” Chris Frank, Meat safety officer.3
  • “The commercial operation of growing poultry or rabbits has not kept pace with the costs of our operation here”.Chris Frank, Meat safety officer.3
  • Jun. co-operative is on brink of insolvency and looking to close doors at end of financial year4
  • Last small species abattoir in operation in NSW4
  • Meeting to be held in Narooma consider abattoir future4
  • “If people don’t have this option they are forced to buy chickens from Coles or Woolworths, we need the abattoir to keep local fresh produce viable” John Champagne, South East Producers Association4
  • Not enough commercial breeders of small animals in the Valley to support the co-operative,4
  • Insurance and electricity prices were a heavy burden4
  • Abattoir licensed to process bones of larger animals, cattle & sheep, but can not afford the infrastructure to expand its operations4
  • Meeting – 10 people signalled an in interest in using the abattoir which means its future is secure for now5
  • Lack of members and decline in the supply of chickens and rabbits has meant the facility has been struggling to meet its running costs.5

Sources

  1. ‘Abattoir welcomed’ Bombala times 16.06.04
  2. ‘Slaughter your own meat, says Bega Abattoir’ ABC rural. 03.09.12
  3. ‘Small abattoir at Bega may close” http://www.efarming.com.au. 15.03.13
  4. ‘Fight to keep Bega abattoir afloat’ Bega District News 11.06.13
  5. ‘Bega abattoir saved from getting the chop’ ABC News 14.06.13