# Michigan Processing



## pointer_hunter (May 8, 2004)

I've tried searching for articles already covering this. I normally take my meat birds to the Amish and have them processed. The first year it was $1/bird, last year it was $1.50/bird. The cost isn't bad, it's the time and gas that I need to use to drive to their home, hope they are around and ask if they can butcher and when. I then need to drive back up there to drop them off and another time to pick them up. After I get them home, I wash them up again and pick any (hardly ever) feathers that were left. I cut up the ones we are keeping and bag up the others whole and deliver them to people who ordered.

I would like to find someplace near me (mid-michigan) that processes and packages them that has a phone I can call to schedule so that I only have to make 1 or 2 trips at the most.

I've been looking into doing it myself, but from what I see, in Michigan we still need to have an MDA inspected facility even processing under 1000 birds a year.

Anyone have any ideas that can help me?


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## Tater'sPa (Jun 27, 2002)

This may help
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/poultry_processors/search_results.php?State=MI

You might try your county extension agent as well, Good luck!
BTW, you might look into mobile processing where you rent a state certified mobile rig for a day they have one around here in NC


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## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

pm sent


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

http://www.apppa.org/legalstates.pdf

MICHIGAN
The Law. Michigan does not have state operated meat inspection programs. All inspection is performed under the federal requirements. Therefore, the federal exemption applies.
Agency Contact. Those wishing additional information concerning poultry inspection should contact:
Michigan Department of Agriculture
611 W. Ottawa
P.O. Box 30017
Lansing, MI 48909
517-373-1052
517-335-1423 (fax)
HACCP
Michigan Department of Agriculture
611 West Ottawa
Lansing, MI 48909
517-373-8200
517-373-6015 (fax)

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISNotices/Poultry_Slaughter_Exemption_0406.pdf

check out the Basic Sanitary Standards towards the bottom and that exemptions apply to you. should not be a issue. you can sell direct to any customer.

person,Distributor,Retail Store,restaurant,etc. etc. 

you just cant sell over the state line, you need a USDA inspector to do that. 

now I see that you can not sell your chicken at the farmers market unless it is from a MDA inspected facility. I would imagine though it would be annual type inspections but I cant locate the info on line so a call may be in order.

your in the red how you are doing it now though, I imagine the amish are not licensed or inspected as custom processors, which is all you will find besides a USDA plant. 
you can not legally sell the birds processed by a custom processor.

you could have a purchase agreement that states something to the effect that the birds are purchased live, that if the customer so desires that at no additional fee you will drop off live poultry to "name the processor" and upon completion of processing pick up finished poultry, hold for customer pick up or deliver to customer.
spell it all out price,time,instructions.


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## pointer_hunter (May 8, 2004)

Thanks all! I figured that it probably wasn't all on the up and up with going through the amish. I recently started selling outside of the family and have more requests for poultry from my beef and pork customers. I'll keep digging and hope to have everything set up for spring!


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## pointer_hunter (May 8, 2004)

Ok, just one more question on this one before I let it die. If I'm reading this right, Michigan doesn't have any specific regulations other than that of the federal. Federal states that if I sell 1,000 or under, I only need to meet the 5 criteria listed below. So as long as I hit those 5, I should be staying away from fines and prison right? 

Criteria: 

1. The poultry grower slaughters no more that 1,000 healthy birds of his or her own raising in a calendar year for distribution as human food; 
2. The poultry grower does not engage in buying or selling poultry products other than those produced from poultry raised on his or her own farm; 
3. The slaughter and processing are conducted under sanitary standards, practices, and procedures that produce poultry products that are sound, clean, and fit for human food (not adulterated); 
4. The producer keeps records necessary for the effective enforcement of the Act [Title 9 CFR 381.175]; and 
5. The poultry products do not move in commerce.


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## katydidagain (Jun 11, 2004)

I think #1 means you have to process your own on your own property. I believe that's the case in Ohio.


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## LittleRedHen (Apr 26, 2006)

there is a family who processes somewhere around hesperia that is already licensed etc. I dont have their name off the top of my head but if you are interested i can get it


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

that is the way i understand it PH.


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## pointer_hunter (May 8, 2004)

I'll give it a whirl this season and let you all know how it goes. I think they get internet in jail now, so I can update either way!


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

call the MDA and your local ag extension, try to talk to a few different people including a ag inspector.also in the link for the fed regulations I believe there is a number for the the office that is in charge of our district give them a call too.

FSIS
Michigan and Wisconsin office
Phone: (608) 240-4080

get names of who you talked to.date and time when you talked to them and what you talked to them about. documentation is good.

but you also need to check out liability if you want to be 100% on the safe side.
operating from home opens it up to risk. you may want to talk to your insurance agent also. operating a venture from home may nullify you insurance,at the least a standard policy will not cover a law suit.


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

figure I'd resurrect this one more time,

I too am working at getting some legal sales going on, so I'm digging through all this info on regulations,laws and rules. 

kicking around different ideas, one was since I'm hoping to do ducks as a main stay, preparing different dishes or products from them. kinda in house. 

I'm not interested in interstate.
if it comes down to it and I do really well here, I will open a operation in another state.
first thing first though.

so that is the back ground on how I stumbbled on this info.

seems you need a food establishment license here of the "whole sale producer" type, if your a small rabbit or chicken processor. kind of wonder what to do if you only retail?
which is where the MDA inspection comes in.

I am not ruling out any wholesale but I prefer the idea of retail better. more so as I would be producer and potentially preparer. less cooks in the kitchen so to speak.

anyways for those in Michigan, and a heads up to people in other states that
the fed exemptions are not the end of the say so to speak.
I'm sure you will find similar laws where your at. 

heres the michigan license link, 

this is to help in determining the license type,

http://michigan.gov/documents/MDA_FoodEstablishmentLicensing_41803_7.swf

if you click on the step by step it takes you to the mda site to this page which covers some additional laws that may apply.

http://www.michigan.gov/mda/0,1607,7-125-1569_16958_16974-53792--,00.html


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