The abattoir, which will process four or five head of cattle a day, is 70 kilometres from Broome and will be used to process local beef for the Kimberly Free Range Beef Pty Ltd.

Mr Burton said 50 per cent of the product will be sent away under an international agreement while the rest will be sold throughout the local area.

"What we are setting up is a complete supply chain business," Mr Burton said.

"The balance is there will be some for the local market which we hope to get into the mines and also the local Kimberley and Pilbara trade.

"Then there will be some product left to go into the up-market burger chains, which gives a bit of a differentiation and a market opportunity for the Kimberly Free Range Beef Pty Ltd brand."

Mr Burton said he was hoping to process the first cow in March.

He said he had received a lot of support from locals in the region who understand the need to have other processing options for their cattle.

He said the live cattle export ban to Indonesia helped to cement the need for an abattoir in the north.

Mr Burton said he had not received any support from the Federal Government but the State Government had been supportive.

"It has taken our business model and supported our plan and taken it on board and is supporting it where it can," he said.