***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

4 October 2024

MEDIA RELEASE: AFSA celebrates extension of DBC Abattoir foreclosure access for smallholders in WA, calls on state governments to take long term action to save family farms

The Australian Food Sovereignty (AFSA) celebrates a small win today, as DBC abattoirs has granted an extension to smallholders to retain access to its WA facility until February 2025. Although this provides short-term relief for small-scale livestock farmers in southwestern WA, AFSA is now calling on all state governments to amend planning legislation to enable small-scale producers to establish vital infrastructure such as micro and mobile abattoirs. 

Last week, AFSA took collective action with its members and called on the WA Government to take urgent action on the end of custom kills at DBC abattoir in southwestern WA, which has sparked major concerns about the loss of viable options for small-scale livestock farmers in the west, mirroring a trend driven by corporate consolidation nationwide. Outside of WA, small-scale food producers are grappling with the announcement of abattoir closures in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. 

Zoë Allington of Allington Family Farm says, ‘We are feeling a temporary sense of relief following the announcement that our access to the DBC abattoir will be extended until February next year. When we were originally only given 4 weeks notice of the foreclosure, the whole community of small producers was devastated. Now, we need the WA Government to support us as we figure out a long term solution for small-scale livestock farmers in the region. 

Many large industrial abattoirs are vertically integrated operations that refuse to process private kills for small-scale farmers, the very farmers we need to fix our food system. Westpork – a vertically integrated intensive pork producer that supplies 50% of WA pork – now own 100% of DBC as of July 2024, leading to the inevitable de-prioritisation of local family farmers. Right now, AFSA State Liaison Jeff Pow is gathering feedback on current experience and demand for service kills for smallholders in southwestern WA. 

The Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance (AFSA), which represents small- and medium-scale farmers across Australia, the majority of whom sell their produce directly, has long advocated for governments to facilitate small-scale and locally-owned abattoirs to address this problem and help revitalise regional economies.

‘This cut will affect the longevity of small-scale, paddock-to-plate operations in WA as currently there are not many other viable, affordable options. The issue is that whilst we can look into other alternatives, such as setting up an abattoir that is formed by a cooperative, or whatever that looks like, takes time and resources which we don’t have right now. We have been given no time to make plans for the future of our businesses and especially as it is coming into the busiest time of year with Christmas coming ahead, we have already made plans for our processing and animals on the ground,’ says Zoë Allington.

The DBC decision underscores the disastrous effect not only on local farm businesses and livelihoods, but also on their communities’ access to ethically and sustainably produced meat, for which there is ever-growing demand in the face of community concerns about animal welfare and the environmental and climate impacts of industrial livestock production.

AFSA president and Victorian small-scale livestock farmer Tammi Jonas says that the looming DBC foreclosure highlights an urgent need for policies which support diversification of the meat processing sector, and support smaller producers: 

“Supporting a mix of small-scale local and on-farm abattoirs helps the regional economy through local processing and value-adding. A return to more local abattoirs that service small-scale farms would dramatically increase the resilience of local economies.”

There is already a growing movement to build small-scale facilities on farms, such as the decade-old Southampton Homestead poultry abattoir in WA, and several new micro-abattoirs on farms in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.

AFSA calls on all state governments to  implement emergency measures to assure access to existing slaughter facilities while committing to amending state planning laws for the development of much-needed micro-abattoirs.

 Media Contacts: 

  • Tammi Jonas, AFSA President 0422 429 362 
  • Jeff Pow, AFSA WA State Liaison, Southampton Homestead, 0412 229 564
  • Zoë Allington, Allington Family Farm 0438 802 188