2 Sisters Food Group has called on South West Water (SWW) to provide sufficient supply to allow the site to continue operating at the minimum level necessary to protect animal welfare, food safety and security of supply.
Water is needed for a host of activities to meet food safety standards from staff handwashing to cleaning the factory.
2 Sisters is already in the process of implementing its own contingency plan for the factory site. It has plans to tanker in water to the premises next week and have static water tanks on site to ensure production can be maintained. It has also taken steps to ensure continuity of supply for its customers.
“The proposed restrictions being made on water supplies to our Willand poultry processing site will create a serious and immediate animal welfare risk. Water is essential to every stage of our operation, including those relating to legally-required hygiene and food safety procedures,” a spokesperson for 2 Sisters Food Group said.
“Poultry production is a complex supply chain involving hatcheries, breeders, farms and processing facilities, and not something that can simply be switched off. Any prolonged disruption creates significant welfare concerns, including increased mortality, overcrowding on farms, disease risks and wider knock-on impacts across the supply chain.”
The spokesperson added: “The consequences extend beyond our own operations, including the supply of food to major retail customers.”
2 Sisters, which has eight fresh poultry sites across the UK, said it has already reduced water consumption by almost 30% at the factory.
A spokesperson for SWW said: “We fully recognise the importance of animal welfare and appreciate the operational challenges faced by the company and its supply chain.
“Before we took any action, we made extensive efforts to engage with the business regarding the developing supply constraints and the need to reduce demand, including support to identify opportunities to lower consumption and improve resilience at their site.”
SWW said throughout this period, it has made sure the water pressure to the business has remained above the legal minimum standard.
“As a temporary measure, we have acted quickly to respond to multiple requests from the company to provide additional water to enable them to process all birds on site and in the immediate supply chain, and to implement their business continuity plan.” the spokesperson said.
“We are having daily conversations with the business and agreeing the steps needed to protect its operations, our network and the water supply for the surrounding communities.”
Earlier this week SWW announced the introduction of temporary restrictions on hosepipe use for customers in Mid Devon and parts of East Devon including Tiverton, Cullompton, Bampton, Honiton, South Molton, Dunkeswell, Axminster and Lyme Regis, due to current exceptionally high levels of demand in the area. Consumers have been asked not to use hosepipes for watering their gardens, washing cars, patios and boats, or filling swimming and paddling pools.
