Small Scale Commercial Sausage Production

[FarmerJeff]

Howdy- I hope someone can point me in the right direction or suggest a methodology that might help me out.

We raise a variety of heritage breeds on pasture at our farm. Sales are good, but it seems that anything besides chops, loin, and bacon can be a PITA to sell. People love the sausage produced by my USDA butcher, but it is expensive ($2.25 per lb to make). We get $8/lb for the sausage and that is too big a bite to lose. We are looking at whole hog sausage minus the chops, loin, and bacon. We would like to have the butcher slaughter and grind, but we would like to make the sausage ourself. We have access to a commercial kitchen. However, I hear there are regs about everything including transport, etc. Our extension people are useless and the butcher pleads ignorance (methinks he wants his $2.25!). Can someone point me to a resource or share their experience in this realm? I have a huge market for sausage and I am ready to get crackin'! Thanks so much.

[Scott in NC]

You can probably check with your state's dept. of ag. They would have info you need. Here in NC we have to get a permit to sale sell sausage from our hogs that the butcher ground and packaged and the label has our farm name on it. We only pay around 50 cents per lb. to get our hogs made into sausage. Good Luck I always wanted to have a sausage route. Scott in NC

[FarmerJeff]

Thanks for the input Scott. 75 views and no other input?

[Ed Norman]

It might help if we knew where you were.

[FarmerJeff]

Thanks Ed...I'm in New England. I would think primarily it would be federal oversight with USDA regs so the same state to state. Having a hard time getting a call back from the state or the feds.

[billooo2]

I believe that if you are selling "in state," then you need to comply with state regs. If you want to cross state lines, then you need to follow federal regs.

In Ohio, I believe it is the Dept. of Ag. In some states it may be the health dept.

[dk_40207]

Call the usda and ask for a small/very small plant guide. It will give you a little insight on what you can do. I have read through it and from what i have read as long as you have a commercial kitchen it will have to get a USDA inspection and you will have to follow HACPP plan which is a process but will save you if someone was to get sick and you can prove you followed all sanitation procedures. I have just started reading it so i have just been skiming. |The phone number is the North Carolina ofiice and number is
(919) 844-8400.

I hope this helps.

[simplefarmgirl]

Just had a sow done 2 weeks ago.. it just cost me 95.00 to have her processed and 35.75 to have her put into sausge links that was a pig that just dressed 157lb
then extra for vacuum wrapped and custom labeling