STX abattoir holds soft reopening, nears full repair

ST. CROIX — The territory’s only abattoir is almost fully repaired and held a soft opening two weeks ago, the V.I. Agriculture Department announced this week.

The St. Croix abattoir shut down in April after a routine inspection found corroded steam pipes which posed a “serious hazard” to employees, Agriculture announced in a press release at the time, and the facility has long struggled with maintenance problems. On Monday, the department released a statement noting that it’s waiting for one more machine installation for the facility to be at full capacity again.

“After testing the abattoir equipment, VIDA can now proudly provide its services to all pig farmers,” according to the statement. “The transfer hoist, however, remains inoperable as it is unsafe for employees to use and is a hindrance to operations.”