On-farm meat sales

[PlowGirl]

OK folks, for those of you who sell individual cuts to your customers, what are the legalities involved. ie: licensing, inspection, processing etc.

Is it enough to just have the meat processed at a USDA inspected facility?

Comments please.

[Horace Baker]

In most cases, USDA inspection is enough. Check local zoning about selling from the farm, usually OK. Product liability insurance is something to consider.

[Ralph in N.E.Oh]

Be careful about "net weight" sell by the piece or package and not the weight. Otherwise you'll need an approved scale endorsed by the weights and measures people.

[PlowGirl]

Thanks Mr. Baker. I was sure that insurance would be a necessity, but wondered about all the other possible factors, many of which I'm sure I haven't even thought of yet.

For instance, would there be a regulating agency and how would you know if they truly were the correct authority? My state's Dept of Ag website has nothing specifically about selling processed meat from the farm. So I'm a little hesitant to paint myself into a corner by effectively asking any governmental entity "are you the boss of me?"

Do I need a food handler's license? Do I need a commercial kitchen, or can I just sell out of my deep freeze? Do I need to package in a particular way, like labelling or special wrapping?

These are a few of my specific questions. If anyone is already selling on-farm I'd like to know what to anticipate, good and bad.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

[myheaven]

call your local ag ext from your state university. For oklahoma I have 405 744 5398
Here in wi there are a ton of laws and red tape. Its best just for me to sell them a hog and take it to the slaughter house and have the slaughter house call them and tell the processer how they want it done. then they have to go pick it up.

[Up North]

I'd check out this website http://www.attra.ncat.org/
This site has a wealth of information. You can get all sorts of stuff on marketing and it can direct you to resources where you can find out more about regulations.

Heather

[John Schneider]

Yes...everyplace is different. If you sell raw meat in Alberta, you will have to jump through all sorts of hoops. If you want to sell frozen, you have to take the animal to a provincially inspected facility for processing. It is stamped as inspected and you are good to go...as long as you have it properly labelled.

[PlowGirl]

Thanks everyone for all your input. You cannot imagine how helpful you've been. Thanks again.

Robin

[Faith Farm]

I sell out of the freezer off the farm and @ farmers markets. My meat is USDA
stamped with weight marked on label. Our state Ag agent came out to the farm to
check out the freezers with thermometers. He gave us a form of inspection
approval to have on display. As long as the meats are frozen we do not need
a commercial kitchen or special handling equipment.

[PlowGirl]

Thanks Faith Farm. Mine is also usda inspected but not weight labeled. Just content labeled. Do you use your own label, or does the processing plant provide one for you?

[tinknal]

Another option is to sell a portion of a live animal. That way, the buyer is not purchaser is not buying meat, they are buying a live animal.