Call for livestock producers to share their views on abattoir access in Australia
3 November 2025
Small and medium livestock producers are being called on to take part in a national survey to share their views and experiences on the challenge of shrinking abattoir access across Australia.
Outcomes from the survey, which is open for participation until 16 November, will help shape practical, evidence-based solutions for the livestock industry.
Conducted by Nous Group and commissioned by philanthropic organisation, Macdoch Foundation, the research is part of a national systems analysis exploring abattoir access, and, alongside the views of specialist focus groups that will be created later this year, will contribute to a final report identifying pathways for reform across market, regulatory, and supply-chain systems.
The research project comes in the wake of livestock producers facing mounting pressure as local abattoir options continue to shrink, threatening farm viability, regional food systems, employment in rural communities and ethical production models.
Victoria’s largest abattoir has recently stopped accepting small-lot orders, while family-run processors in Western Australia have ended service kills with little notice, leaving many farmers with limited choices, rising costs, and longer wait times
Chairman of the Macdoch Foundation, Alasdair MacLeod said that the industry needs to explore opportunities to support more local and connected supply chains, and keeping small and medium scale sustainability-minded producers in business.
“Market consolidation, the closure of service-kill options, and regulatory constraints are placing pressure on producers and regional communities.
We believe there are opportunities to support local and connected supply chains that can help to address some of the issues we’re currently seeing, giving consumers affordable alternatives to the major supermarkets, returning value to producers, and revitalising regional economies.
There are already producers carving out new paddock to plate pathways – we need to understand how we can sustainably scale this across the industry. The survey and the focus groups will be the starting point. We’ll also be exploring this topic as part of Wilmot Field Day in 2026,” Mr MacLeod said.
According to well-known farmer, restaurateur, and food advocate Matthew Evans – a member of the Working Group for the abattoirs research project and someone deeply familiar with the research behind it – access to local abattoirs isn’t just a farmer issue – it’s a community issue.
“When small producers can’t process animals locally, we all lose access to food that’s ethical, traceable, and connected to place,” Mr Evans said.
“By mapping the challenges, we can bring farmers, regulators, and communities together to create change.”
“This study will identify the bottlenecks in meat processing and explore practical ways to bolster and grow regional supply chains.
We want to drive positive change and ensure local communities continue to benefit from resilient food systems,” Mr Evans said.
The survey is open until 16 November and takes around 10 minutes to complete. Participants will go into the draw to win one of 20 x $100 gift card vouchers.
How to get involved
- Complete the survey: https://nousgroupau.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dpxYmYgiBWXu92C.
- Producers are encouraged to share it with their networks.
- Producers can also opt in for upcoming focus groups to share more detailed insights.