Government meeting secured amid calls for Orkney abattoir

Calls to reinstate an abattoir in Orkney have gained the attention of Scotland’s agriculture minister, Jim Fairlie.

A meeting has been secured with Mr Fairlie by MSPs, amid cross-party calls for support of bespoke abattoir solutions in Orkney.

Speaking at Rural Affairs Questions on Wednesday, Highlands and Islands MSP, Jamie Halcro Johnston and Orkney’s MSP, Liam McArthur, highlighted that local abattoirs are an integral part of the infrastructure supporting farming communities.

They noted that the closure of the Orkney abattoir in 2018 had been keenly felt.

Mr Halcro Johnston, whose family farm in Orkney, asked the minister “if the Scottish Government is playing any role currently in supporting the establishment of a new abattoir in Orkney?”

Mr Fairlie said that he was prepared to engage with Orkney’s representatives on what the government can do to support support a facility in the county.

Mr McArthur asked that the minister “ensures the Scottish Government give whatever support they can to the delivery of an abattoir that is much-needed in the islands I represent.”

In response, Mr Fairlie said: “I can give that absolute assurance that I am more than happy to meet the member and I am absolutely prepared to engage with whatever it is we can do to support any small abattoir.”

For the full story, look out for next week’s edition of The Orcadian.