A study looking into the feasibility of a livestock collection centre on the Isle of Wight has been released.
The Isle of Wight Council (IWC), National Farmers Union (NFU) and the Royal Isle of Wight Agricultural Society (RIWAS) recently commissioned BCM, rural property consultants, to undertake the study.
The purpose of the study was to canvass opinion, determine demand and assess the need and benefits of establishing a livestock collection centre on the Isle of Wight. A collection centre allows farmers a convenient and easy way to deliver their livestock to a local assembly point, where they would then be transported to an abattoir.
The review considered a full range of factors to include location, operating models and the legislation underpinning the operation of a livestock collection centre on the Island.
It is hoped the findings of the study will inform and support interested individuals who may wish to take forward such an establishment, which could see c6,000 lambs and c1,000 cattle per annum passing through the centre.
Matt Legge, NFU County Chairman, has said:
“The Isle of Wight NFU, combined with the Royal Isle of Wight Agricultural Society and the Isle of Wight Council, commissioned this study, to look at options to improve the security and sustainability of Isle of Wight livestock farming.
“We have a lot of enterprising stock keepers, on the Island, and we acknowledge that there is a lack of infrastructure here, to support their businesses. Livestock farming plays an integral part in our economy and environment and so it is vital that we continue to support it, in meeting the demands of regulation and the changing market place.”
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Chris Ashman, Director of Regeneration at the Isle of Wight Council, adds:
“The future sustainability of the rural economy on the island is a vital part of our overall economic and sustainable regeneration plans. The council will continue to work actively with other stakeholders to encourage any parties recognising the opportunity for a livestock facility set out in the study to bring forward and establish a proposed solution”.
The full study is available without charge at http://www.riwas.org.uk/ or by contacting either RIWAS – 0845 226 9098 or NFU – 01983 522290.
For ONCE sounds like the council are doing something, or, at least, paying lip service to something useful and not destructive to the Island.
They need to look into this ‘farce’ of growing crops just to feed the heavily subsidised ‘bio digester’ at Arreton first and foremost.
This has to be supplied with huge amounts of crops, grown just for ‘it’. Farmers are paid to do this, and they then have no costs of cutting or transporting as the bio firm pay for it all.
So of course they are ‘up’ for it, but this then means they grow less crops for food, which pushes prices up, and means we have to import more, thus cancelling out any gain in ‘green’ savings on the bio mass, especially when you see those massive tractors using diesel pulling trailers loaded with crops to feed the machine.
There are so many of them hurtling down narrow lanes that the ‘gain’ IF it were not so heavily subsidised would be seen for the ‘con’ which it is.
All about Government ‘targets’ NOTHING to do with reality of reducing greenhouse gases.
Why the hell don’t we have an abattoir on the Island. It would produce better quality meat due to less stress on the animals and be far kinder to them rather than transporting them live to the mainland.
Couldn’t agree more with you Joe, can’t see how a collection centre is going to be better for the animals. We need to keep the Island farming to put a stop to green field developments.
Problem is though the council make far, far more out of an acre of houses, than they do a thousand acres of farm land.
So unless we get rid of the council we now have, then building is their main drive now.
Vote them out
Blame the eu for that .now we are out we should be able to have one here again .
Abbatoir discussion has taken place MANY times on IW, main reason its
never gone ahead is the farmers too tight to pay anything towards it….
No doubt they will not want to dip hands in pockets to pay for a
collection centre either…
Are there going to be any green fields in which to put all these rare heritage breeds after the IWCC has accepted all the special Christmas ‘cards’ in brown envelopes? As for the Royal Agricultural Committee, IW Branch, wading in with comments… Seeley drawing on the history of ancestors who actually did something good for our people, once again! What has he done thus far in office except disagree with motorcycle races and decline to condemn the rape of Ryde’s wildlife…?