17/09/2024
Today we received the heartbreaking news from DBC, the abattoir where we get our pigs and sheep processed, that they are stopping all custom kills effective in a few weeks time.
Devastated doesn’t even come close to how we are feeling right now, as small scale producers who rely on this service so that we can give YOU (the customers) the choice to buy direct from the farm. It is local, affordable and logistics are simple to organised. But now this option is being ripped away from us, with no time to really make any change - and coming into our busiest time of year.
I have spent all day making phone calls - from calling our fellow small scale producers, speaking with the GM of DBC and of course putting out feelers with the other abattoirs who are going to be overwhelmed with a mass of people needing animals to be processed. So far, we still don’t have any clear answers about how we can resolve this.
We, alongside others, are trying to make changes in the food system by bringing you all a quality product that is traceable, grown directly by the farmer. But the issue is; these big corporations don’t actually want the ‘small guys’ to succeed. It is already a monopolised market and now this decision makes a large aspect of our business moving forward extremely uncertain. And not only affecting us, but affecting our staff, our farming decisions moving forward - and of course, you - our customers.
And the reality is, even if we are able to find kill space elsewhere, the added cost of this may not actually be feasible for us to pass on through our pricing… So right now; we aren’t really sure what the future holds. However, we will continue fighting and trying to make change happen.
And please - if this decision affects you in any way, get in touch with me and send us an email to [email protected]
I am going to be making a submission for a board meeting at DBC and I need as much information as I can get in the next week.
Thank you for choosing to support us on this crazy journey. We would also love for you to keep us in your thoughts & prayers as we navigate this challenge 🙏🏻