Established in 2019 by local farmers, the co-operative aims to provide much-needed livestock processing options, addressing the challenges faced by small-scale producers in an increasingly centralised industry.
In 2023, the co-operative’s state-of-the-art multi-species micro-abattoir was completed with government funding.
Now, the co-operative is seeking community support to expand operations and create local jobs.
“While the facility has been built, we need to transition our part-time staff to full-time roles to meet the growing demand from farmers and the community,” co-operative chair Lachie McKenzie said.
“This campaign is about more than funding; it’s about empowering small-scale farmers, supporting local jobs and ensuring ethical, paddock-to-plate food systems thrive in our region.”
Currently licensed for poultry processing, the co-operative plans to expand to include goats, lambs, pigs and beef, with a total capacity of up to 728 tonnes of meat per year.
The funds raised will help transition the operations manager from part-time to full-time and recruit additional staff, creating up to eight permanent local jobs.
“Recent closures of large abattoirs to small-scale processing have left many farmers with limited options,” the co-operative said.
“This is our opportunity to bridge the gap and support the producers who form the backbone of our regional economy.”
With enough support through the campaign, the group hopes to provide up to eight permanent jobs, starting with transitioning the operations manager to a full-time role.
Contributions can be made at www.murrayplainsmeat.com.au
