Can I direct-market meat from my animals?

Yes, you can!  There are two direct-marketing options for most Minnesota farmers.

1. Sell a live animal to a customer and have the processing conducted at a federally-inspected, or a state-inspected "equal to," or custom exempt meat processing establishment. You can sell a live beef animal to as many as four people (each gets a quarter of beef), and a lamb or hog to as many as two people (each buyer gets half the animal). Farmers can arrange the slaughter and processing of animals for their customers. It is preferable to have the animal processed in a state inspected or federally inspected plant. With this inspected slaughter, you do not have to have the entire animal pre-sold. You can store a quarter or a half at an approved facility until you have another customer. When you use a custom-exempt plant, the entire animal must be sold before it is slaughtered. With custom-exempt processing, the customer's inspection of the animal and agreement to buy it substitutes for a professional inspection at slaughter. You should offer the owner(s) the opportunity to come out and see the animal alive.


2. Sell packaged cuts of meat. For this option the animal must be processed at a USDA-inspected plant or a "state-equivalent" plant. You must have a food handler's license and an approved storage area for frozen meat. You will need to work with the meat inspector for your area. To find out who that is, contact the Dairy and Food Inspection Division of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture at 651-296-2627.

Visit our Meat Sales web page to find much greater detail about processing and marketing options, including a sample form to use for custom-exempt sales and lists of processing plants in Minnesota.

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