Additional Meat Processing Resources

Studies of Local Meat Processing

• Feasibility Studies by Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network
  
  Additional Studies:
• Dead Local Meat: Building and Operating a Small-Scale Abattoir Australian pig farmer, butcher, and hopeful abattoir operator, Tammi Jonas, spent a month traveling around the United States earlier this year to visit several niche meat processors and learn more about their challenges and innovations, Nov 2017
• Food Infrastructure and Distribution: Let's Not Reinvent the Wheel by Warren King, Winter 2011
• From Convenience to Commitment: Securing the Long-Term Viability of Local Meant & Poultry Processing case studies and findings by NMPAN, June 2013
• Local Meat and Poultry Processing: The Importance of Business Commitments for Long-Term Viability, report for USDA, 2013
• Meat Plants: Improving Profitability in Small & Very Small Operations a study by National Sustainable Ag Info Service, 2011
• The State of USDA Inspected Red Meat Harvest & Processing Industry in northeast, Cornell, March 2019
• UC Livestock Economics market price analysis website

Marketing Ideas

• Marin & Sonoma Alternative Livestock Production and Marketing a Survey of Marin Livestock Producers by UCCE Marin, 2005.
• Meat & Poultry Buying at Farmers' Markets a Survey of Shoppers at Four Markets in Oregon by Oregon State University Extension Office.
• Resource Guide to Direct Marketing Livestock & Poultry by Cornell University, 2011. NOTE: Some regulations may not be the same in CA.
• Selling to Chefs, wholesale at a farmers market from UCCE Small Farm Program.

Podcasts

ATTRA meat themed podcasts. Highly recommend: COVID-19 Impact on Local Livestock Producers with Rebecca Thistlewaite, Director of NMPAN. Learn about fantastic resources available to NMPAN members.

Future of Agriculture meat themed podcasts.

Grassfed Life archives contain over 80 episodes cover everything from farm start-up to sales and marketing.

Meat: the Ultimate Podcast about those who grow it, those who cut it, those who cook it, those who advocate it and even those who are against it. 

MeatsPad meat specialists and professionals talk about numerous topics in meat science, including animal welfare, meat production, meat quality, food safety, and much more. Episodes also available in Spanish.

The Meat Block by a small scale intensive farmer that butchers for his customers and is a chef.

Processing Information

NOTE:  ANY meat processing done on the farm in Sonoma County requires a Use Permit.  Please contact the Agriculture Ombudsman to discuss.

Organizations and Publications

• Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network a Cooperative Extension community of practice that works on a national and sometimes international level providing technical assistance to niche meat processors, meat producers, and the wider niche meat value chain. Subscribe to their Google Group.
• North American Meat Institute a national trade association that represents companies that process 95 percent of red meat and 70 percent of turkey products in the US and their suppliers throughout America.
• Publications by USDA FSIS.
• The New Livestock Farmer including information on cattle, pigs, poultry, sheep, and goats, and exotics like bison, rabbits, elk, and deer. From backyard hobbyist to a large-scale rancher about raising and selling ethically produced meats. by Rebecca Thistlethwaite and Jim Dunlop
• Farmers Legal Action Group a nonprofit law center dedicated to providing legal services and support to family farmers and their communities.

Meat Food Safety and HACCP

• Safe Food Handling and Preparation processing guides by USDA FSIS.
• HACCP resources by Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network.
  For profit entities:
• Dirigo Food Safety food safety consultants. 
• International HACCP Alliance provides training around the U.S. Texas A&M Department of Animal Science
• Online HACCP Training by North Caroline State University.
• Range Meat Academy Online offers various classes for meat clerks, butchers, and others who prepare and sell meat (learn customer service, meat cuts, cooking tips, merchandising, & more).
• Richard Stier, local food scientist and food safety consultant.

Processing Plant

• Beginner's Guide to Local Meat Processing by NMPAN, for livestock producers and processors.
• Buy or Build: Evaluating buying, renovating or building a new meat plant webinar by NMPAN with three USDA inspected meat processors. Dec 2018
• Customer Manuals for Small Meat Processors by NMPAN
• Livestock Marketing & Processing by ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture market resources for organic livestock producers, including pricing, sales data, market trends, and other market data, organic trade associations, directories, and other organic marketing publications and resources.
• Plant Design and Construction by NMPAN - designs, costs, wastewater processing, equipping, mobile or stationary, etc
• Software for Inventory & Traceability Tracking for Meat Processors
• Step by step applying for Grant of Inspection by NAMPAN
• USDA Federal Grant of Inspection Guide to aid those who are contemplating applying for Federal Grant of Inspection to become a USDA inspected facility.
• USDA Tools for Small & Midsized Livestock & Poultry (pdf ppt) resources for producers and processors including information about grants and other support programs.

Mobile Processing

• Mobile Slaughter Webinars by NMPAN
• Think Inside the Box: Containerized Meat Processing Solutions a webinar Jan 2017 presented by NMPAN
• USDA FSIS Small Plant Help Desk has two DVD’s on mobile slaughter units. They will send them to you via US Mail free of charge. All you need to do is provide your address to: elaine.hite@fsis.usda.gov 

Pricing Cuts of Meat

Cooperative Extension at Cornell University created the Cornell Price & Yield Calculator that will help you price meat for a profit. This is for beef, lamb, pork and goats.

USDA Meat & Poultry Harvest & Processing Facilities:

Meat - USDA harvest

• BAR-C Bay Area Ranchers' Cooperative founded in 2020 for ranchers by ranchers. Coming soon!
• JMF Slaughter, Petaluma
• Other options in Northern CA in Google Drive folder

Poultry - no local USDA harvest options at this time.

• Grimaud Farms, Stockton - USDA poultry, large minimums, this plant is mostly for their own product, but they make it available to outside producers one day a week, pick up day later.
• New American Poultry, Stockton- USDA harvest, 200 bird minimum, contact: 209-466-3200
• Sierra Nevada Poultry - Sacramento, USDA harvest
• Sonoma County Meat Company, Santa Rosa - cut & wrap, custom exempt and USDA meat processing (no poultry or ducks)
  USDA value add available: sausage, smoked.
• Squab Producers, Modesto - USDA poultry.

Find a USDA processor:

• USDA FSIS Meat, Poultry & Egg Product Inspection Directory - filter for CA and order by Zip Code to find closest facilities.

CDFA licensed processing:

• Brand Inspectors licensed by CDFA Bureau of Livestock Identification
• Mobile Slaughter Directory licensed by CDFA

Additional information for/about processing:

• Producer-Processor Communication - by NMPAN.
• Working With your Meat Processor - ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture publication.
• The Butcher Stole My Meat? - probably not. One page fact sheet from Penn State illustrating the conversion of live weight to meat for beef, pork and lamb.  
• Market Animal Sale Options & Regulations for sales of youth livestock due to cancellation of fairs. Regulations covered apply to all sales of meat.