Work to open abs progressing

The abattoir will be licensed to process 725,000kg annually, or an estimated 500kg a day, across beef, lamb and goats, pigs and poultry from the district.

Founding member director Lauren Mathers recently stepped down from the board, with Koondrook resident Tom Chick joining as an independent director.

The board thanked Mrs Mathers for her dedication and determination to assist the project in growing from an idea to an almost turn-key facility.

Mr Chick brings to the role 40 years of expertise in public accounting, and business and enterprise reconstruction.

“Probably one of the greatest challenges for the abs is just getting up and running, it's establishing their cash flow and getting all those things to work and to manage them,” he said.

“At the moment, it's a bit of a one-way street with basically getting everything sorted to get accreditation.

“Once they can get that happening, we can get the people in place, procedures up and, you know, get running.

“I think any business, something like this, it's a cooperative, it'll generate local jobs and put money back.

“It gives our farmers, our producers, another avenue for them to have their production processed.”

The six current directors are independent chair Lachlan McKenzie, independent director Tom Chick, and member directors Leigh Fletcher, Lindsay Schultz, Bianca Sheperd and Greg Stevens.