The Animal Collectors Association (ACA) is to ballot all of its members as to how knackery owners will proceed, as talks with the Department on a support package remain in deadlock.

The ACA held an emergency meeting on Sunday, when it was decided that members would be balloted on the next course of action.

Knackery owners have said that without a support package from the Department, knackery operations will not continue “as it is no longer viable to stay operational”.

A new scheme was due to be in place in January for knackeries. However, this did not come to fruition.

A lack of competition in the rendering sector, combined with a collapse in the hide trade and an increase in the seasonality of the business, are some of the reasons knackery owners are calling for funding from the Government.

Limbo

The ACA has been in negotiations with the Department since last August over a support package.

ACA chair Michael McKeever said: “We were in negotiations and we thought there would be a deal in place from January, which wasn’t in place.

“We’re now coming into the busiest time of the year and do not know where we’re going. We’re in limbo,” he said.

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A new scheme was due to be place in January for knackeries. However, this did not come to fruition.