SHARING OPTIONS: The ABP plant in Cahir, is one of seven ABP locations for cattle in Republic of Ireland plus two in Northern Ireland. Thursday’s announcement that ABP has bought out the Fane Valley interest in red meat processing in Slaney, Irish Country Meats and Linden Foods in Northern Ireland (NI) and Britain won’t be a major shock to farmers. The joint venture (JV) was announced late in 2015 when ABP acquired the Allen family shares in the Slaney/ICM business which had been operated as a JV between Linden and the Allens up to that point. There was surprise at the time that Linden, which at that point was wholly-owned by the NI-based farmer owned co-op, didn’t step in to acquire the remainder of the Slaney/ICM business, rather than leaving it open for ABP to get involved.