31 It’s Farming. And It’s Better. Better Farming | November 2023 Abattoir Update Chad saw the opportunity to ll that demand and explored nancing a new project. “ e numbers just didn’t work. At $3 to $4 million, plus permits and regulations and licensing, we knew that if this was an avenue which we wanted to explore we would need to nd an existing operation.” Corad Farms purchased an abattoir in February 2020, and quickly learned how to operate within the meat industry alongside their pre-existing beef operation. Despite the challenges, the demand for small abattoirs in the meat industry leaves opportunities for growth. Room to grow Naccarato says the industry could potentially look at a growth of $320 million in three to ve years if barriers were less obstructive. “We are investing in our industry by promoting its value. We are working diligently to nd new ways to entice younger generations to explore the meat processing industry as a career option. “Currently, we are developing a virtual reality tool to take to a provincial trade school recruitment fair. Being a retail butcher is a skilled trade that is not o en talked about or funded previously.” Naccarato shares that the industry has seen a shi where an increasing number of farm owners have taken the reins to support themselves and their community needs, similar to the story of the Hunt family. “ e cost of nancing a new operation, let alone getting site location visits, is a daunting task. So there’s been a positive increase in the number of producers who are taking on existing sites to ensure their product can continue to be processed.” He says the board has been keeping tabs on abattoirs who are not fully at capacity and have created a processor link portal which helps farmers identify where there are opportunities for them. “Helping to connect farmers and processors is crucial to keep the ow of meat optimized, and it allows us to keep the government informed on those infrastructure gaps to help them better navigate our industry’s needs.” How will the industry evolve? As challenges with labour and high costs persist, while the industry also maintains room for growth, abattoirs in Ontario will likely have to evolve to meet demand while managing their businesses. Heleniak says that since 2020, consumer demand for meat has stayed strong but changed how it looks. “During COVID, we’d get lots of calls for custom beef to ll their freezers, but that’s kind of gone away. People are buying more on a week-toweek basis,” says Heleniak. He notes that with recent decreased cattle numbers, beef prices have been increasing. “It’s predicted that prices will stay high for a while and we like to see the farmers doing well, but we also have to do well to keep abattoirs open. e bigger places like Cargill and JBS can sustain these prices a bit better than smaller operations.” As these prices evolve, Heleniak says that the industry will need to focus on bringing in the right people who have the skills required to work in an abattoir while watching expenses. “We want to get better at bringing in the proper people and watching our costs wherever we can. We need to minimize expenses and maximize what we get for our beef.” To solve the labour problem, it may be necessary to look at bringing in skilled labour from outside of Canada. And to minimize expenses, additional operations such as far deliveries may need to be discontinued. He remains positive about the future, noting that general demand for beef in Ontario has been maintained. “We feel there’s still a strong demand for Ontario beef and that’s a good thing.” BF
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