No lorries from Irish knackeries will operate collection services to remove dead animals from farms from next Wednesday, February 26, the Animal Collectors’ Association (ACA) has confirmed.

Confirming the news to AgriLand, a spokesperson for the ACA said that, while knackeries “will still be open initially” for the delivery of animals, there won’t be any animals being collected from farmers’ yards.

The move, announced today, Thursday, February 20, comes following a unanimous decision by ACA members at the group’s emergency meeting held last Sunday, February 16.

The members balloted for the cessation of fallen animal collections from next Wednesday “as it is not financially viable to continue this service”.

“We understand that farmers are under severe time pressure at this time of the year and we do not want to inflict any further hardship on the them,” the group said in a statement.

The association explained that its members have been left with no alternative, highlighting that “knackeries have been left in a very vulnerable position so it is no longer financially viable to continue collecting animals across the country”.

“Operating costs are rising annually for knackeries. The ACA has been in negotiations with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine for the last eight months requesting the implementation of a Fallen Animal Scheme.

This scheme has sought in protection of the farmer as knackeries wanted to explore other options before being forced into a position of increasing charges to the farmer excessively or alternatively withdrawal of services from some areas to ensure survival of the knackery industry.

“The cost of Government services seems to rise every year – yet they expect the cost of small businesses like fallen animal collection to remain static for a decade or so,” the group statement concluded.