"We want a three year plan for the meat plant", says DEFA

Plans to decrease subvention 'cannot come at a detriment' to the plant and farming community

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture is seeking a three-year plan to lower the subvention received by the Isle of Man Meat Plant.

Last year, the abattoir received more than £4 million in government funding.

A new board was appointed in April following a review of the governance and operational structure of the business and a vote of no confidence by the Manx National Farmers' Union following a series of processing delays and cancellations.

See HERE.

DEFA Chief Officer Tim Cowsill, speaking on Manx Radio's Mannin Line, said: "There's not many abattoirs that have such a farm to gate to abattoir positions; about 12 miles maximum. So we've got the Unique Selling Point.

Mr Cowsill was joined by DEFA Minister Clare Barber, who spoke of the partnership between Isle of Man Meats and Tesco and the 'essential' relationship between the plant and the Island's butchers.

Minister Barber says: "We've seen a resurgence of butchers around the Island and that's a really positive news story where people can go and be confident that what they're buying is locally produced meat to a high standard.

"We know that we have that assurance for meat on our Island and it's great if we can make sure people can access that at a price that works and that can't be a price that's seeking to undercut, it can't be too low and it can't be too high.

"So I think everything's about finding a balance with this."

Discussing the three-year plan to lower the subvention, Mr Cowsill said they aim to take some of the 'challenge' out of the system by which produce goes from farm to table.

And whilst addressing the desire to reduce the amount of government funding, Mr Cowsill said it cannot come 'at the cost to the level of service to the farming community'.

He added: "As we've over the last couple of months, the position of animal health with diseases all around us at the moment, it shows the importance of having a meat plant for the island.

"If we didn't have the access to that market, it could be a massive detriment."

Listen to the full exchange from Manx Radio's Mannin Line below: