farmers market/ chinese restaurant.

[Le Canard de Barbarie]

Quote:
I think you have me, Jaku. I googled some more and found this.

Meat

Can food establishments obtain meat directly from the producer?

Yes, if the producer has a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspected plant or a MDA licensed processing establishment (small poultry processor only). Beef, pork, lamb and goat must be USDA inspected at an approved establishment and bear a USDA mark of inspection. Poultry will bear a USDA mark of inspection or if processed by an MDA licensed processor be marked “EXEMPT POULTRY P.L. 90-492”.

 

[jaku]

Quote:
I think you have me, Jaku. I googled some more and found this.

Meat

Can food establishments obtain meat directly from the producer?

Yes, if the producer has a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspected plant or a MDA licensed processing establishment (small poultry processor only). Beef, pork, lamb and goat must be USDA inspected at an approved establishment and bear a USDA mark of inspection. Poultry will bear a USDA mark of inspection or if processed by an MDA licensed processor be marked “EXEMPT POULTRY P.L. 90-492”.

Darn, I was hoping you were right- did you find the guidelines/what's required to pass their inspection? I can't even find what the license would be called.

 

[jaku]

I think I found it here: http://www.miffs.org/PasturePoultry.pdf

While it doesn't look official, it is linked from this page, showing the guidelines.
http://www.michigan.gov/mda/0,1607,7-125-50772_45851-65543--,00.html

 

[Le Canard de Barbarie]

Quote:
I found this. It really doesn't look too bad to become licensed by the state for under 20,000 birds.

I think a small all steel garage with a concrete floor would serve their requirements for a building. Maybe even a gutted camping trailer. You can use waste water storage tanks (~250 gallons) while processing and later dump it out on a farmers field. This would not tax your septic system. The offal etc. can be composted.

I'm still confused as to why the USDA documents gave a different story as to inspection by the state.

 

[robbdebbie]

Who said they were processing it themselves? Just because they bought the meat there doesn't mean they processed it. Not everyone here processes themselves, and what do they do? Bring it to the processor alive. I have read several times here that the older hens have more flavor for some of the Asian dishes. Maybe that it they only place they can buy them. Then they have them processed. It is a thought! Also, if you haven't worked in a restaraunt before you are very lucky, because most have some things going on in the back that you wouldn't really want to see

Debbie

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Quote:
I found this. It really doesn't look too bad to become licensed by the state for under 20,000 birds.

I think a small all steel garage with a concrete floor would serve their requirements for a building. Maybe even a gutted camping trailer. You can use waste water storage tanks (~250 gallons) while processing and later dump it out on a farmers field. This would not tax your septic system. The offal etc. can be composted.

I'm still confused as to why the USDA documents gave a different story as to inspection by the state.

Each state is very different in this... Michigan and Ohio are very strict when it comes to poultry. Many others are not and abide by the 20,000 rule from the Feds....

It sucks but their are ways around it. The transactions that were made were perfectly legal. A guy sold live chickens to a lady and what she did with them is on her. However since she processed the chickens herself and cooked them in her reastuarant she is in the clear.

 

[jaku]

Quote:
I found this. It really doesn't look too bad to become licensed by the state for under 20,000 birds.

I think a small all steel garage with a concrete floor would serve their requirements for a building. Maybe even a gutted camping trailer. You can use waste water storage tanks (~250 gallons) while processing and later dump it out on a farmers field. This would not tax your septic system. The offal etc. can be composted.

I'm still confused as to why the USDA documents gave a different story as to inspection by the state.

My problem is that I process in a corner of my garage, so I would need to find a way to make it all washable. I'm wondering if I could put up temporary walls just during processing?? That article is VERY good, and is the first thing I've seen that actually spell it out for Michigan.