The footage, taken by an Animals Australia Activist, posing as a photographer forced the closure of the abattoir resulting in a chain reaction of impacts across the local community and supply chains for local producers.

“It's extremely disappointing that an abattoir can be impacted so immediately by tactics employed by Animals Australia to discredit their operation,” Victorian Farmers Federation president Peter Tuohey said.

“There are now Gippsland farmers that do not have the same access to processing facilities, which has driven up supply chain costs and reduced their viability, not to mention the staff and suppliers to the business forced to lay off.

“The VFF is extremely concerned with the amount of credit being given to a radical animal rights group that does not invest a single dollar in animal welfare.

“The VFF supports best animal welfare practice and continued improvement on-farm and throughout the supply chain. It is the role of Prime Safe (a Victorian government funded body) to approve Quality Assurance programs and monitor the implementation of those programs by processors.

“We call on PrimeSafe to assure the livestock community that the response was not heavy-handed.

“If the response was ‘overkill’ as stated by ABC Landline, there should be a full investigation to ensure it does not happen again,” Mr Tuohey said.