The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture has apologised after failing to publish long‑awaited reports on the Isle of Man Meat Plant by its own deadline.
In a statement to Manx.News, the Department said it had “intended to publish all reports relating to the Isle of Man Meat Company by 1 June 2026” but had “not yet been able to meet that commitment”.
DEFA said the delay stems from efforts to locate evidence of commissioning for one of the reports and to confirm that the Department holds the rights to publish it. “We recognise this is disappointing and sincerely apologise for the delay,” the spokesperson added.
The reports include a 2024 review of the Meat Plant, completed by a board member and confirmed earlier this year by Minister Clare Barber. The review has still not been released, despite assurances it would be online by June 1.
The issue was brought back into focus after Onchan MHK Julie Edge pressed for all reports produced since the 2022 Birnie Report to be made public. She told Manx.News she intends to see the documents published “for accountability and transparency”.
DEFA now says work is ongoing and it expects publication within the coming weeks, adding that it will confirm a date once final checks are complete.
