Over 200 attend St Johns meeting
Over 200 people attended last night's meeting at St Johns about the future of the Isle of Man Meat Plant.
The loss-making facility currently receives a subvention of around £1.4 million a year, and the meeting was called to find a sustainable way forward for the plant.
The plant's operations have been reviewed by industry expert Scott Baker, who identified several ways forward, including improving the current provision, restructuring the business - or closing the plant altogether.
Members of DEFA, including Minister Geoffrey Boot, the Manx National Farmers Union and the Agricultural Marketing Society voted in favour of a move to seek expressions of interest - with the potential to send the contract out to tender.
Isle of Man Meats says it's regrettable, but it 'fully understands DEFA's reasoning'.
Political member Tim Baker MHK hopes it can remedy plummeting sales of Manx meat in the last five years:
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