The future of Victoria's respected paddock-to-plate industry is in danger after multiple abattoirs banned the processing of animals for local farmers.Paddock-to-plate producers fear for the future of the industry with many unable to process their animalsProducers across the state have reported being told by abattoirs that they would be limiting or no longer taking their animals, leaving many stranded and silenced in fear of immediate retribution from processors.
He has been selling his goat meat to butchers in Sydney and Melbourne for years, who then supply local restaurants.He regularly sent animals to Hardwicks abattoir in Kyneton but was told at the 11th hour that they would no longer take his goats. "Local producers everywhere are continually losing access to abattoirs, and foreign companies are coming in and buying these abattoirs," she said.The decision is already being felt in the Melbourne restaurant scene.
In August, Castle Estate abattoir in Victoria's south-west stopped processing the state's main supplier of suckling pig."That's a supplier that we've got a really good relationship with and not being able to use their products has meant that we're having to find alternatives that we're not really keen on doing," Mr Mitchell said.