Mobile abattoirs receive green light in Victoria

Victoria has paved the way for mobile abattoirs to operate.

Mobile abattoirs like Chris Balazs’s Proviner have been given to the green light to operate in Victoria.

MOBILE abattoirs have been given the green light to operate in Victoria thanks to a bill passed in the Legislative Council this week.

Amendments to the Meat Industries Act make it legal for vehicles to be licenced as meat-processing facilities.

The move follows NSW taking the lead in June this year, when it licenced Australia’s first mobile abattoir, run by red-meat company Provenir.

The custom-built unit is housed in a semi-trailer and can process 10 to 20 cattle in a day, operated by a team of four people.

Company co-founder Chris Balazs said he welcomed the legislative change in Victoria.

“We’re very pleased that the bill has been passed unamended and now this opens the way for PrimeSafe to propose licensing requirements for mobile abattoirs,” Mr Balazs said.

Provenir works on an acquisition model, buying cattle from farmers at the time of processing on their farms.

Carcasses are returned to Victoria for butchering and packaging, with meat sold through retailers, to restaurants and for home delivery.

The company markets its products as high-welfare, premium grass-fed beef.

MORE: AUSTRALIA’S FIRST MOBILE ABATTOIR

Mr Balazs said removing the need to transport animals long distances to an abattoir offers a cost saving for farmers as well as animal welfare and meat quality benefits by reducing stress on stock.

“Having the ability to operate in NSW and Victoria will increase the commercial viability of the business,” Mr Balazs said.

“We are really pleased that we will be able to apply for a licence to operate in Victoria because we have had a lot of support from Victorian farmers.”