Changes to abattoir board after production issues

A raft of changes have been made to the board of Isle of Man's abattoir following a series of production issues.

Five new directors, including a new chairman, with experience in retail, agriculture and butchery have been appointed to the government-subsidised Meat Plant.

It follows a vote of no confidence by the Manx National Farmers' Union (MNFU) last month after processing delays and cancellations at the plant.

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (Defa) said the restructured board aimed to "stabilise operations" and provide "enhanced certainty" for farmers on production levels.

Large quantities of meat were thrown away by the plant due to a freezer failure earlier this year, and some beef products were recalled and destructed after a faulty packaging machine caused production delays.

In an open letter in August the MNFU said confidence in the company's ability to service the industry had therefore "hit rock bottom" and a "poor level of management" was having a "disastrous impact" on local producers.

The department confirmed board members Nigel Davis and John Taylerson had stepped down from their roles, but the plant’s managing director Rebecca Miah and Allan Skillicorn of Isle of Man Fat Stock Marketing Association remained members.

New members appointed were butcher Rob Teare, red meat businessman Philip Birnie, farmer Andrew McKeown and agricultural economist and principal author of a comprehensive report on the abattoir Jonathan Birnie.

The department said Damien Corcoran, a food retailer with international experience, had been appointed to take over the role of chairman.

Defa Minister Clare Barber said "significant time and effort" had been invested into understanding the challenges at the plant, which receives about £2m in government funding each year.

Barber said while the former board had made "good progress", there was "plenty still to be done".

The foundations had been laid for it to "bring much-needed confidence as we look to give farmers, butchers and the Isle of Man public the meat plant they deserve”, she added.

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