Farmers left with dead animals in fields

There have been calls for the Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue to intervene in a dispute between knackeries and rendering plants, which is leading to dead animals left lying on farms.

Since 1 December, rendering plants, which convert animal carcasses into food by-products, have stopped accepting materials from collectors, also known as knackeries.

The rendering companies have increased the cost of rendering to €180 per tonne and the Animal Collectors Association claims that this price hike pushes their operations into a loss-making position and says it cannot pass this cost on to farmers. Consequently, due to the inability of the knackeries to pay the cost of rendering, dead animals are being left on farms.

Fine Gael Senator Tim Lombard said the quarrel between knackeries and rendering plants has reached crisis point, and urged Minister McConalogue has to intervene.

“Everyday this dispute is allowed to continue sees the number of fallen animals increase on farms across the country. It’s unacceptable and can’t continue. Knackeries are effectively closed because of this dispute. There is nowhere to take fallen animals and we have farmers who are left with dead animals.

“It’s a tough situation for farming families anyway when an animal is lost and you have to make that call to the knackery for collection. To think the animal can’t be collected is just not on. It’s soul destroying for the farmer," he said.

“Two weeks before Christmas, we have this unacceptable situation where farmers are left with dead animals lying around.

“No one wants a dead animal on their farm but the knackeries are full and animals are not being collected.

“This issue has been building for months. Farming organisation and others highlighted the problems but no action was taken by the minister or the Department of Agriculture.

“Now we’re at crisis point and urgently need a resolution. Unfortunately, at this time of year, there is an increased risk and potential for animals to die. Minister McConalogue must intervene, get all parties around the table and find a resolution to this crisis,” Senator Lombard added.

In response to the dispute, Minister McConalogue has stated that he is closely monitoring the situation and clarified that his department is not in conflict with either animal collectors or the rendering industry.

He said he is acting to provide alternative options to farmers.

“Due to renderers refusing to accept fallen animals from animal collectors, I have ensured that animal collectors can access rendering facilities in Northern Ireland,” he said.

In the event of a farmer not being able to get a collector to remove a dead animal from their farm, they may consider burying it on the farm. However, to do this, they need a burial license from the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM), said the Minsister.