Selling beef

SteveO · #1 02/26/12, 02:27 PM

As as newbie how do you sell your beef??
Live delivered to the processor?
Live to the auction
frozen in a box?
OR???
What do you do about liability should something go wrong?
Steve

sassafras manor · #2 02/26/12, 04:19 PM

We have sold 2 or 3 head each year as live beef delivered to the processor with good results these past 3 years. We hope to be in a position this fall to have 2 or 3 going in every 6 months. We carry a broad scope farm liability insurance as should most people with any sort of farm activity.

sammyd · #3 02/26/12, 04:37 PM

We sell by hanging weight. We give our customers a general idea of what the weight will be and then once the animal is butchered we give the precise weight.
We charge a price which includes all butchering costs so the customer only has to make one payment instead of one to us and one to the processor.
Once the deal is made the processor calls the customer to make a cut list so the meat is cut/packaged to their liking.

Callieslamb · #4 02/26/12, 06:42 PM

We've always sold weaners on the hoof. This year we are going to try selling one at butcher time like sammyd does. I don't see where any issue of liability comes into play.
We do carry farm insurance that will cover us for things like our Upick and an animal on the road, fences not holding, etc. I'm not sure if that's broad spectrum or not.

lonelyfarmgirl · #5 02/26/12, 06:51 PM

We sell retail by the cut, by the quarter or half and live.
Our retail by the cut comes one pound or one steak to the pack, vacuum sealed clear. People call, place an order and come to the farm to get it.

When we sell a quarter or half, we take the animal in and I deal with the customer. I never let anyone talk with my butcher. We did that ONCE. We sold beef to someone off this site, and they said they had done it before, knew what to do, etc. They dealt with the butcher and ended up being very unhappy with the results. The problem was lack of communication. Turns out they didn't know the right questions to ask, so all things left unsaid, the butcher reverted to average.

I know what my butcher needs to know. I take the customers cut order and I deal with the butcher. Then I pick it up and the customer comes here to get it and pays us. That way there is no confusion and minimal to no mistakes, no assumptions, and expected results.

I also do not permit anyone to use a 'butcher of their choice'. You end up with the same problem. I have a very good business relationship with our butcher. If someone isn't willing to order my way, they can take their business elsewhere. It's all about quality control, IMO.

SteveO · #6 02/26/12, 07:03 PM

So Lonelyfarmgirl,
What hoops did you have to jump through to sell direct to the public?? State and or Federal??

Steve

sammyd · #7 02/26/12, 08:26 PM

We only use one butcher as well, it really does clear up any issues.
Plus they are the only ones that come out to kill and quarter the animals which is really an excellent service.
Here we would have to have the meat inspected by the USDA which would require a bit more in fees if we sold it by the cut. And if we took it home we would have to have a meat sellers license and commercial freezer. We don't deliver, customer picks it up at the processor. You'd have to check your states rules...

lonelyfarmgirl · #8 02/26/12, 10:04 PM

Its not as bad as you think sammy. The cost is negligible at best.
We had to have a state guy come inspect. The rules are, no animals where the freezers are kept and no poisons by the freezers. We have ours in the garage, with cars, paint, etc..Everything is 10 feet away or more and that is acceptable. You have to have a thermometer reading zero? or less, and the sticker on the frozen meat must say state inspected and all the butcher info. The butchers print that, they know the laws.

Our license to sell frozen ONLY, by the cut is about 45$ a year. We pay an additional 45$ a year for the right to sell mobile, as in farmers markets and delivery to anyone.

Our freezers are all just freezers, both upright and chest style. We have 6.

OP, you need to look into the laws in your state. Just search things like selling meat off the farm in tennessee, or contact the state dept of agriculture and ask them. Or look up someone else who does it and ask them what they had to do. Try localharvest.com to find people.

BTW state guy pops up at random about once a year to inspect.

spinandslide · #9 02/27/12, 08:23 AM

Sammy, do you have the customer pick up their meat at the processor? or do you pick it up and the customer picks it up from you?

sammyd · #10 02/27/12, 08:55 AM

we have the customer pick it up at the processor.