If I sell meat.....

[SamG347]

At the local farmers market or etc.....do I have to get USDA inspected? I would really like to sell processed quail and maybe chicken at the local farmers market.
Thanks!

 

[brooster]

i have thought of this but figured i would be safer not to sell. I am interested to see the responses.

 

[Laskaland]

depends, I would think on your area and state regs.
I have ny meat processed at a USDA inspected butcher.
Christina

 

[jaku]

The USDA doesn't inspect unless you do (I believe) over 10,000/yr, but the state probably does. Check with your extension office, the health department of your county, or your state dept. of agriculture. Sometimes you have to make several phone calls to get the right people.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

You can sell meat on your farm as long as you sell under 1,000 birds. (this applies to like 30-40 states).

Those states that don't abide by these rules use federal laws. Which it states you can process up to 20,000 birds on your farm without having a facility.

Now if you have a state inspected facility. (which all it has to be is a on farm processing site that will meet sanitation requirements.) Basically someone will come in and make sure your equipment and processing tables are sanitary. They may go as far as testing your vats/buckets or even your birds that you process. If you have this done you can raise 20,000 birds with the exemption.

I've never sold at farmers markets but I'm almost positive they have to be USDA processed to be sold at a farmers market in most states (don't quote me though). Greyfields do when you take your birds to the processor.. it's not a USDA inspected facility is it? Probably just state inspected... How does this exempt you to take to farmers markets?

It's better for me to stay under the exemption by selling on farm. But for many the location of their farm is not in the mix of things. For me I'm with in 15 minutes of 3 farmers markets in the area, so I really havn't looked into it as the market is already here.

 

[MissPrissy]

You need to call the Ag dept, Sam. Some states require processing at a USDA facility when sold off the farm premises.

 

[cubalaya]

but not in va. you can sell your pastured poultry at farmers markets. i have found a processing plant near lynchburg and will take all my extra roos there. fill up my freezer and sell the rest at the farmers market

 

[Brunty_Farms]

What if you process yourself? Can you still sell at the farmers markets?

 

[MissPrissy]

Quote:
Sam is in Pa. They have laws that are different from Va as do most states. For example in Washington state chickens cannot be sold frozen.

Each state is different and Sam is held liable for the laws of where he lives when processing and selling his birds.

Also, he is not an adult. As such he needs to be directed to real help that won't cause he and his family any legal liability.

 

[tonini3059]

I just called the extension office yesterday about this very question. The response I got was that you are allowed to sell up to 2,000 birds (they said chickens) per year to private individuals. If you want to sell to restaurants or at farmers markets you need to be inspected. Also I was told that if you sell a bird and the person consuming it gets sick the blame lies in your hands and they have the right to sue you. Hope this answers your question.