Wednesday, 19 February 2025

Small-scale livestock farming

Martha HAYLETT (Ripon) (19:21): (1020) My adjournment matter is for the attention of the Minister for Agriculture. The action I seek is that the minister provides me an update on how the Victorian government will support farmers whose livelihoods are at threat from the recent decision taken by the Hardwicks abattoir in Kyneton to cease taking small meat processing orders. Livestock farmers across our region are facing a crisis. The only abattoir that offered them small-scale service kills has closed its doors to them, favouring meat for export instead. Without this facility, so many Victorians risk not being able to access meat grown in our region, particularly beef. This affects our butchers, restaurants and tourism operators as well as our hardworking farmers.

Yesterday I tabled a petition calling for action to address this issue. 2428 people signed the petition online, with a further 350 signing hard copies. It calls on the government to urgently consider recommendation 27 in the recent report on securing the Victorian food supply and to work with industry to find solutions that ensure ongoing access to service kill facilities for small livestock producers. It also calls on our government to help enable the growth of mobile and micro abattoirs on farms. These changes would support the survival of small-scale livestock farmers across our region and state.

I note that Agriculture Victoria have developed an eGuide advising what is involved in establishing an on-farm small-scale fixed abattoir or mobile abattoir, including advice on the regulatory pathways, approvals and other relevant requirements. This is a helpful step to support producers, but we need more. I want to sincerely thank Tammi Jonas, Jessie Power and the team at the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance for advocating so strongly on this issue and rallying support.

Abattoirs are critical infrastructure. They support the livelihoods of our livestock farmers and butchers across Ripon, including Deb Hancock from the Fat Butcher in Inglewood, Carly Noble from Parkside Run Farm in Arnold, Will Bennett and Emma Horsburgh from Pig and Earth Farm in Kingston and Michael and Lana de Kort from Long View Farm & Meats in Clunes, just to name a few. If we do not have access to local abattoirs, farmers are forced to send their animals further afield to be processed. More time on the road impacts animal welfare and risks undermining farm viability. That is why this issue is so important, and I eagerly await the minister’s response.