Heather Latter
The Rainy River District Regional Abattoir recently received approval to slaughter chickens.
In order to do so, however, it needs to purchase some additional equipment that will cost about $5,000.
Since the abattoir is financially tapped out at this point, it is appealing to district residents to help out.
“Currently, we’ve received donations up to $3,600,” noted Bill Darby.
“It’s been very much appreciated and very encouraging,” he added.
“We’re hoping we get a few more [donations] to take us up to the $5,000 level.”
“This will benefit both the abattoir and our entire district,” enthused Kim Jo Bliss.
“I am hoping we can raise this money quickly and we will get a few farm families raising some chickens this summer,” she remarked.
Darby said the corporation looked into processing poultry as a way to keep the abattoir in Emo operational.
“The abattoir is only getting sufficient flow of livestock to operate one day a week,” he explained.
“And we need to be operating more frequently, like, for example, two days a week.
“So we’re doing a combination of things,” Darby noted. “We are trying to do market development and increase the number of buyers for local beef and pork.
“But we also knew that there is strong demand for local chickens.”
Darby said slaughtering chickens has to be done on a small scale because there is a quota and supply management system for poultry on a large scale.
He added the only other abattoir in Northwestern Ontario that had been processing chickens was Griffiths Country Meats in Oxdrift.
“And we understood that this year they decided they were not going to do it, except for their own birds,” Darby said.
“So there is an unsatisfied need. And it would allow us to have a few more operation days,” he reasoned.
But in developing a business activity such as incorporating poultry, Darby stressed the abattoir intends to maintain the balance at the facility.
“If you try to grow too quickly, then things get out of balance,” he warned. “So this will take time, but we know that there will be sufficient numbers of chickens to operate a few days this year.
“And once we have the equipment, it’s a matter of scheduling.”
Darby said the abattoir corporation has two main purposes in its letters patent as a not-for-profit corporation.
“One is to run an abattoir, but the other is to act as an association to stimulate economic development in our Rainy River District agricultural community,” he explained.
“So that’s what this is about.
“If we have the infrastructure and the demand is there for local chickens, then more farmers will be able to sell them farm gate if they’ve been slaughtered and inspected at a provincial facility,” he noted.
Darby added once the corporation has enough money to purchase the equipment, it will not difficult to acquire it.
And it already has begun to make some contacts to do that.
“Chickens would not be ready until later in the summer anyway,” he noted.
But Darby wants the public to be aware that district farmers are working hard to try to make more local food available, both meat and produce.
“So we encourage the public to ask questions about how to get it, where they can get it,” he remarked.
“When you are dealing with stores, if there is more demand, then stores are more willing to carry it.”
Those interested in making a donation to help the abattoir purchase the necessary equipment to slaughter chickens can mail a cheque to Rainy River District Abattoir, P.O. Box 299, Emo, Ont., P0W 1E0.
