The Animal Collectors Association (ACA), the body that represents knackeries in Ireland, has confirmed that the cost of animal rendering is set to rise from next week.
Agriland understands that from Monday, October 16, the cost of rendering from some of the rendering plants on the island of Ireland is set to increase “significantly”.
A spokesperson from the ACA has said the “cost of rendering is doubling for some knackeries” and that it has “gone up 50% for others”.
There are four rendering plants on the island of Ireland, with the three in the Republic being Waterford Proteins, Co. Waterford; Dublin Products, Co. Wicklow; and College Proteins, Nobber, Co. Meath.
Rendering plants
There are a total of 38 knackeries in the Republic of Ireland that supply rendering plants and collect waste from factories.
They are required to deliver category 1 waste to the rendering plants, while the farmers pay the knackeries for the service of collection.
The knackeries must then pay the rendering plants for receiving the waste.
Due to the Fallen Animal Scheme, the knackeries are limited as to how much they can charge the farmer for the service.
However, Agriland understands that if the ACA is unable to pass on the increased costs, there may be a disruption to services as it will not be viable to collect the animals.
A spokesperson from the ACA said they are seeking the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) to get into meaningful negotiations with the renderers to resolve the issue.
“The ACA have informed DAFM and are trying to encourage the department and the renderers to come together and solve this because its not fair if a farmer is left without a collection service,” the spokesperson said.
With approximately 300,000 fallen animals per annum, Agriland understands that figures from 2023 so far have shown that it is on track with recent years.