Service kills in survey spotlight

LIVESTOCK producers across the state are being encouraged to share their thoughts as part of a survey looking at potential demand for service kills. 

Sprout Tasmania has launched the online survey about meat processing to help understand the current and potential demand for livestock processing through service kills across Tasmania. 

The survey is for any farmer in Tasmania producing livestock for the consumption of meat through arrangements where they retain the ownership of their product. 

Sprout Tasmania hopes to hear from those producers who are already processing and selling their meat using a service-kill abattoir as well as those who would like to explore selling their meat but haven’t ventured down this road yet and those who are using home-kill for their own purposes. 

Sprout says the questions are designed to gather information about the level of demand, both current and potential. It is also designed to look at location, species type, full supply chain data including transport to and from abattoirs and butchery services. 

The survey forms part of a Sprout Tasmania project that was funded through the Strategic Industry Partnership Program grant round by the State Government. 

Last week’s Tasmanian Country featured a story about southern livestock producers calling for more processing capacity. 

Southern abattoir closures have left farmers facing long travle with their animals and forced them to scramble for short-term arrangements. 

To complete the survey, go to www.surveymonkey.com/r/ BWBP3CQ 

To find out more email info@sprout.org.au or call Jen on 0419 519 296.