While researching legalities for a poster in another thread, I cam across the below information on inspection exemptions for small scale processing in Oklahoma. It looks like we are exempt from inspections if we process 1,000 birds or less (or 250 turkeys).
So does anyone here take advantage of this? Do you process and sell your own birds? I'm toying with the idea of getting involved in farmers markets next year with my vegies and eggs. Now I'm wondering if it might be a good idea to try selling some meat birds, as well.
So does anybody out there in Okie land already do this?
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OKLAHOMA
The Law. Oklahoma has adopted the Oklahoma Poultry Products Inspection Act. This Act has very specific requirements for the inspection of poultry production operations, however, within the Act may be found an exemption applying to the processing of poultry or poultry products solely for intrastate commerce and distribution of those products in intrastate commerce. The exemption allows the Board of Agriculture to adopt by regulation any conditions, including requirements for sanitary standard, practices, and procedures, necessary to control usage of this exemption by producers.
The exemption applies to those slaughtering, processing, or otherwise handling poultry or poultry products which have been processed according to recognized religious dietary laws, if the slaughtering, processing and transportation is done by the person owning the poultry and is done for use exclusively by the owner, members of his or her household, and nonpaying guests and employees, if the poultry are being custom slaughtered for use by the owner, his household, nonpaying guests and employees, or if the slaughtering, processing or handling is being done at a normal retail store or restaurant.
The exemption also applies to those producers raising poultry on their own farm if the producers slaughter no more than 250 turkeys or no more than an equivalent number (250) of birds of all species in a calendar year. Four birds of other species are deemed the equivalent of one turkey.
The exemption applies to those poultry producers who do not engage in the buying or selling of poultry products other than those produced from poultry raised on their own farms. However, the adulteration and misbranding provisions of the law apply to all articles that are exempted from inspection by the law. The Board of Agriculture is given the authority to suspend or terminate the operation of the exemption. The Board is also given the authority to determine handling and storage of all poultry products.
Agency Contact. Those desiring additional information should contact:
Oklahoma Department of Agriculture
2800 N. Lincoln
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
405-521-3864
405-521-0909 (fax)
HACCP
Oklahoma Department of Agriculture
Meat Inspection Program
Animal Industry Services
2800 N. Lincoln
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
405-521-3741
405-522-0756 (fax)
1 OKLA. STAT. ANN. § 6-265.
http://www.ag.ok.gov/proposedrules/Food Safety CFR FY10.pdf
