Selling freezer beef by the package

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lkcows

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I'm getting into selling freezer beef by the pound after it is cut and wrapped. I know what I should be charging people in order to cover the feed and slaughterhouse fees and make a little profit, but I'm wondering what others that market this way are charging per pound cut and wrapped? I have both Holstein and Angus beef. I've found that people are more interested in buying a few pounds or dollars worth than a quarter or half.
 
Just be sure to check with your local health dept. to make sure you don't need any permits. My neighbor sold meat like that for thirty plus years. And then they came in and nailed him.
 
USDA processed to sell to the public.
This year we started selling cut beef at farmer's markets with mixed results...some days are better than others but have taken alot or orders for locker beef in the process so it has been a good experience.
Go to the better markets that sell natural beef and look at the prices. Folks want natural beef that you know the history of the animal...grass fed is big.
We get $11.00 lb for rib & loin cuts...$8.50 for roasts...$4.50 for ground beef(90+% lean) and a buck a pound for dog bones, first day we sold 100lbs of dog bones in two hours. Liver is $2.50 lb...tongue is $6.00...see what the market demands.
Check with the health district, you may need commercial freezers, operating plan, permits and mobile unit certification.
Good luck...DMc
Oh yeah...our steaks sold out quickly and we have a carcass hanging in the cooler that is half sold already...develop a customer base.
 
in order to sell freezer beef by the pound , it has to be weighed before is has been frozen or packaged, and the weight must be stamped on the package label. Some packers will do this for you , but they charge extra to make it legal for trade by the pound. Most folks avoid this by selling it by the side or whole carcass , you can sell it this way even after it has been processed , because you are selling by the hanging or live weight.
 
I will restate what someone else said.
Be sure to check with local department of Ag before selling any beef rather by the pound pre packaged or by the whole carcass. Every state is different and have different rules.
Double and Triple check with the your states Department of Ag on the rules and regs regarding selling beef.
 
All that I get back is stamped in BIG letters.
Not for retail sales!
Is the cost for butchering at a packer higher if they can package it for resale?
 
dj":3t3klmh1 said:
All that I get back is stamped in BIG letters.
Not for retail sales!
Is the cost for butchering at a packer higher if they can package it for resale?

You need to chat with your butcher. Meat that is inspected and available for sale can be had. BUT - your guy may not be able to do this.

We always use a place that has inspectors on site - our beef can go out the door in small lots - but we do not bother - too much hassle in my personal opinion for what it it worth.

Storage of retail meats in yet another concern - many states and provinces have requirements that become onerous to the individual who would do this for a living. Simply freezing is only one small part of the equation - handling and transportation is yet another.

Bez?
 
Bez?":3e4hilqm said:
dj":3e4hilqm said:
All that I get back is stamped in BIG letters.
Not for retail sales!
Is the cost for butchering at a packer higher if they can package it for resale?

You need to chat with your butcher. Meat that is inspected and available for sale can be had. BUT - your guy may not be able to do this.

We always use a place that has inspectors on site - our beef can go out the door in small lots - but we do not bother - too much hassle in my personal opinion for what it it worth.

Storage of retail meats in yet another concern - many states and provinces have requirements that become onerous to the individual who would do this for a living. Simply freezing is only one small part of the equation - handling and transportation is yet another.

Bez?
I don't think it's an option with the one I use. A small family(2) operation. I was just wondering how much extra the "added value" of being able to retail would be. Past experience as a warehouse manager of/for a LARGE home retail sales company was enough red tape for me. Unless it's coming back to be eaten here it's sold on the hoof.
 
dj":28qbrfc2 said:
Bez?":28qbrfc2 said:
dj":28qbrfc2 said:
All that I get back is stamped in BIG letters.
Not for retail sales!
Is the cost for butchering at a packer higher if they can package it for resale?

You need to chat with your butcher. Meat that is inspected and available for sale can be had. BUT - your guy may not be able to do this.

We always use a place that has inspectors on site - our beef can go out the door in small lots - but we do not bother - too much hassle in my personal opinion for what it it worth.

Storage of retail meats in yet another concern - many states and provinces have requirements that become onerous to the individual who would do this for a living. Simply freezing is only one small part of the equation - handling and transportation is yet another.

Bez?
I don't think it's an option with the one I use. A small family(2) operation. I was just wondering how much extra the "added value" of being able to retail would be. Past experience as a warehouse manager of/for a LARGE home retail sales company was enough red tape for me. Unless it's coming back to be eaten here it's sold on the hoof.

I have written a lot on how we did / do it. I now believe your meat is stamped the way it is stamped because it is not inspected.

It worked for us - but you have to follow the guidelines - fairly straight forward.

I simply do not do the small piece business - too much hassle.

Bez?
 
I'm with Bez on this one. Too much hassle - unless of course you want to open a small retail shop.
The hassle is actually a good safety measure - keeps some idiot from going out and selling some bad meat and ruining the market for the rest of us.
 
I checked into this a few months ago. The locker we use wouldn't be a problem as they are a USDA approved inspection site and work closely with our local inspector. The snag will come with the cold storage. The locker could provide the storage for us if they have the room but haven't checked to see what their charge would be for storage. Otherwise we would have to get something set up at home. Also there is the issue of labeling. We would have to have a mock up of a label and have it approved by the state. From what I have heard that can take up to 6 months or more.

I would like to sell our beef this way also, as the sticker shock for a whole, half, or quarter can be a turn off, especially now the higher gas prices etc. Now that I have a little more time I need to check into what is exactly needed and figure out the costs associated. I'm afraid the cost of a commercial freezer is going to be the deal breaker.

Check with Indiana's Dept. of Ag and find out what the official requirements are before you start, as state rules can differ.

** One thing I forgot to mention regarding the labels is that we are not allowed to ever have the labels in our posession. Once approved and printed they must go from the printer to the locker. Prevents repackaging and labeling of uninspected meat. **
 
Bez?":1s59cbwt said:
We always use a place that has inspectors on site - our beef can go out the door in small lots - but we do not bother - too much hassle in my personal opinion for what it it worth.

By small lots your referring to poundage rather than percent of the carcass; as in a few pounds of a particular steak or other product?

Storage of retail meats in yet another concern - many states and provinces have requirements that become onerous to the individual who would do this for a living. Simply freezing is only one small part of the equation - handling and transportation is yet another.

Bez?

I have been wondering when this would be mentioned and what the answers would be. I know someone in another link said they rented a locker which would cover part of it.
 
Beef frozen by the processor needs to be kept frozen....that's about it. The "code" only lightly touches on frozen meat. Having the beef frozen by the packer and transported in a truck mounted freezer, (ours runs off a 2400 watt inverter, with two golf cart batteries in series, charges off the alternator and a cut-out switch,) cuts most of the regulations and concerns out of the process.
Do your homework and it will all come together, develop a customer base and massage them from time-to-time. Repeat business keeps us operating. A alot more hassle but more than doubles the profit from a steer and for a small operation it works for us.
Good luck....Dmc
 

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