# Selling Packaged Beef off the Farm



## lyceum (Oct 20, 2006)

Does anyone know what the requirements are for selling packaged Beef, pork and goat off the farm? The meat is processed and packaged at a USDA inspected facility. This would be in Indiana if that makes a difference. Anyone out there sell packaged meats off the farm that would be able to give me any tips on advertising, how to get to that stage, etc. Right now, we are selling halves, quarters and wholes. 

Carisa


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## Tad (Apr 2, 2003)

As long as it is packaged at a USDA inspected facility I don't think there are any restrictions. It is food so I don't think there is any tax to collect or report. We have really never sold to anyone but family so we didn't research the rules very much. My best suggestion is word of mouth give a small sample to friends or neibhors and if it is good product like most fresh hame raised beef it will sell itself.


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## Ken Scharabok (May 11, 2002)

As noted above if you do it under the table by word of mouth advertising you may not have a problem. However, selling raw meat off the farm may make you subject to certain USDA requirements and inspections. For example, they may require a separate chill/sales room from your residence. Periodic inspection may include your scales (if you sell by weight) and storage temperature. Packaging may or may not be a factor, such as vacumm sealed bags vs freezer paper.

You can check with your local county ag agent. Likely they won't know, but should be able to get the information for you from the Ag Extension University or state DA.

Since you already sell quarters and higher likely you know you will get a lot of hamburger out of a carcass.

You might also check into the requirements for a small butcher area to somewhat save yourself the cost of processing by someone else.


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## SHELBY (Mar 9, 2003)

A friend of ours bought a meat market, He said that when he butchers an insp. has to be there. WHen he does pigs he has to take 2 random samples and send them to a lab, doesn't matter how many pigs they butcher that day. When he does beef however, a sample from every carcass has to be sent in. 

He doesn't have to do this if he is butchering someone's livestock, but to sell to the public the insp, has to be there. ANd if we wanted to sell some of our meat "legally" the insp would have to be there and the same samples taken. But not for personnal use. 

So even though you may have you meat processed at a USDA insp facility, you still may not be able to sell "legally" unless you know for sure if it was processed with the insp. writing down his little notes, and testing being done.


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## Ken Scharabok (May 11, 2002)

Be aware the requirements will vary from state to state.


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## m39fan (Apr 11, 2005)

The premises would have to be inspected, the equipment would all have to be stainless and the area would have to not smell like cat pee.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Be vewwwy vewwy quiet.........


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## bumpus (Jul 30, 2003)

.
If you want to sell retail you better check the law in your state,
Government inspected also.
You could be fined or sued if the meat makes someone sick or kills them.
It does happen.

Most states allow you to only sell live animals on the hoof to people.


You are allowed to take there animal to a butcher, and you can charge for a delivery bill, and give the order for butchering in there name only.

Your part is done. It is there meat not yours now.

The customer is called when meat is done ( killed, cut, and wrapped, and packaged ready to go.

They pick it up and they pay the bill, not you. 

The meat is usually labeled ( NOT FOR RESALE ) right on every packaged.

bumpus
.


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## lyceum (Oct 20, 2006)

We already sell quarters, halves and wholes in the way bumpus described. We want to branch out from that. I know that there are quite a few people around here and throughout the U.S. that sell packaged meats that were processed and packaged at an approved facility off their farm. The meat we have done is not marked not for individual resale. It is state and USDA inspected.

Does anyone on here sell their meats packaged off the farm? If so, PM me with what you had to go through to be able to do that. The meat would not be stored anywhere near the goats, cattle, etc. 

We don't want to do this under the table. We want to be able to advertise. We have emailed several people in Indiana that sell packaged meats and can't get them to email back, and they are like several hours from us. Not going to interfere with their sales so don't know what the deal is.

We would be selling by the package, so scales would not be an issue. We would buy seperate freezers just for that meat and it would not be a problem to build a seperate building. 

Carisa


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