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Farmers look to a second Cootamundra abattoir

With the Manildra Meat Company heading towards export, NSW farmers are looking into a second Cootamundra abattoir for the domestic market.

The Cootamundra abattoir had a change in ownership earlier this year, and moved to a full export accreditation, which has some farmers looking at alternative processing sites, ABC Rural reports.

They're investigating the viability of either moving business elsewhere, or building their own multi-species abattoir in the New South Wales south-west slopes.

Cootamundra farmers David and Mary Booth, who run Buronga, an organic livestock and grains enterprise about 16 kilometres from Cootamundra recognise export lines at the abattoir would be given priority over their kill space.

“Short term we've still got a place there, but long term there's just not enough room for smaller people like us, smaller farmers,” he said.

“Their operation is going to major export and they'll want to control of either larger numbers or own everything that goes in and comes out of the abattoir.

“It's great for the town, Manildra are spending a lot of money there now and there's a lot more certainty with the abattoir, but I suppose we've got to find somewhere else.”

He said Cootamundra Shire Council has indicated there's appropriate industrial land to develop a second abattoir in the town.

Manildra Meat Company in Cootamundra told ABC Rural in a statement it will continue to offer operators the services of its plant on commercial terms that are appropriate for the operation of the business.

 

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