Discussions about establishing an abattoir on the Isle of Wight are progressing, with representatives of the National Farmers Union set to meet with the Farming Minister this week. Local MP Bob Seely has arranged the meeting with Farming Minister Mark Spencer following a discussion held between the 2 earlier this year. NFU members will now meet with the Minister on Wednesday (28th February) to discuss the Island abattoir project. Mr Seely has said:
“Introducing an abattoir facility on the Island would improve the Island’s economy, ensure animals are treated more humanely, reduce food miles, and provide assurance that meat sold as Isle of Wight meat is from the Island. “I will be asking Islanders to voice their opinions on the subject. They can either comment on my social media channels or ideally, they can email me with their thoughts.”
Surely it would be reintroducing rather than introducing? There used to be an abattoir behind Hunnyhill years ago.
Obviously, there was not enough demand to sustain that abattoir and most small abattoirs have closed throughout the country for the same reason. Get a mobile abattoir over here.
There was also one in Scarrots lane where pigs were processed
oh look,,… pop-up-bob strikes again LOL
Will the Farmers on the Island have to give up 20% of their land like
the farmers have to in Wales ?!.
Why is an abattoir needed, slowly but surely all our irreplaceable farmland is going under concrete, given the world as it is going we should be helping our farmers to enable us to be self sufficient in food rather than import it and be at the mercy of other countries politics, we should also be exploiting our own natural gas reserves to help become energy independent, tidal power generation should be pursued instead of wind and solar as tide power is both predictable and dependable
It would be a very positive step forward, it always seems pointless that island food producers promote Isle of Wight branded produce that is not even made or processed on the the island. Perhaps in tandem with an abattoir we need an island designation mark that shows meat or other food products are wholly sourced and produced on the island.