Murray River Council has welcomed the next operational milestone for the Barham Micro Abattoir, after it received DPI approval for the processing of red meat at the facility.
The audit approval means the Murray Plains Meat Cooperative are now licensed for both poultry and red meat.
The facility has been operational since late 2024 after initially gaining approval to process poultry only.
Murray River Council Mayor, Cr John Harvie said the additional approvals are a win for the Cooperative and local industry.
"It's fantastic to see the Barham Micro Abattoir now able to operate with full processing approvals."
"Whilst it's been a lengthy process to ensure all checks and balances are in place, it's exciting to now see this project come to life and I congratulate the Cooperative on their efforts."
"This is a terrific achievement for our region, supporting local producers, strengthening our food supply chain and adding value to our local meat industry."
"It's a great example of how our community continues to grow and diversify," Cr Harvie said.
Murray Plains Meat Cooperative Chair, Lachlan McKenzie said the group are thrilled to have reached this important milestone.
"With the approval to now process red meat as well as poultry, we have achieved our goals of establishing a high-quality livestock processing facility that can service the local region."
"Thank you to the board for their assistance on the road to being fully operational and members of the cooperative for their patience."
"For those producers who are interested in using the facility, we will have correspondence available over this coming week detailing booking procedures," he said.
The Barham Micro Abattoir is a multi-species facility that will cater to "paddock-to-plate" producers across the region.
The project was the brainchild of the Murray Plains Meat Co-operative and was formed in response to the closure of local abattoirs.
Murray River Council was awarded $2.2million of state and federal funding on behalf of the Co-operative for the establishment of the micro-abattoir. This positioned council as the project manager of the build and subsequent owner of the facility.
Council will remain custodians of the building for a nominated period, at which time complete ownership with be transferred to the Murray Plains Meat Cooperative.
