Woodend farmer Ben Falloon is fast gaining support for an on-farm poultry micro-abattoir model that could revolutionise the way small producers operate.
The pastured chicken producer launched a Pozible campaign earlier this month to develop the model and is already more than a third of the way towards his $80,650 target.
Mr Falloon said the small-batch plant would ensure careful and humane processing of birds, eliminate transport stress and give farmers complete control over the supply chain.
He said the concept was 10 years in the making, but it was getting turned away from his traditional processor, Golden Poultry, without warning in 2017 that saw him re-focus his efforts.
He discovered options for contract kill services were scarce for small-scale chicken farmers, which threatened the industry.
“This recent event demonstrates that all of our work can be switched off in a second if that last processor (Star Poultry) pulls the plug. This concept turns that around and puts that into our control,” he said.
More than a decade of farming and recent development of an on-site butcher shop has put Mr Falloon in good stead to develop the concept that has gained industry interest.
The micro-abattoir will be fabricated by combining two shipping containers, panelled internally with cool room materials and refrigeration compressors, meeting compliance regulations. It would support a team of up to eight people.
Mr Falloon aims to develop a prototype to be replicated across other small farms and will mentor two farmers to build the same model if his campaign is successful.
“The entire scene is very keen and watching closely what happens with this – there’s no shortage of candidates,” he said.
