FungusProudKY31
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USDA inspection allows sales across state lines to be legal. State Inspection only allows sales within state. A real crock to control folks for no good reason.
Selling Grass-Fed Beef
- Thread starter abrowder
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Little Joe
Well-known member
In Arkansas you have to have USDA inspection to sell individual cuts other wise you have to sell by hanging or live weight by the quarter, half or whole and the buyer had to be a buyer before animal was slaughtered ( part owner of live animal).
Stickney94
Well-known member
Yeah, I probably should have said laws may be similar but enforcement varies widely.
I thought it had to come from a USDA inspected facility to sell individual cuts or packages of meat in texas also. If you go to a normal butcher and have a calf cut up it usually says NOT FOR SALE across the packages.
Im not saying I agree or disagree with the laws but the enforcement will come if some one gets sick or you sell some bad meat.
Im not saying I agree or disagree with the laws but the enforcement will come if some one gets sick or you sell some bad meat.
Hpacres440p
Well-known member
Yep-has to be either state or USDA inspected to sell individual cuts. Custom exempt is the "not for sale" labels
Stickney94
Well-known member
I live in a state that has high enforcement from the State Dept of Ag (due most recently to some rogue dairies selling "natural milk" that sparked an e.coli outbreak).
To sell less than say 1/8th of an animal I need to find a state locker that has a "like USDA" inspection.
The state that borders mine (roughly 15 miles away from my home) has a similar law on the books but does not enforce it and selling individual cuts seems to cause no problems for either the locker or producer.
I'm not against regulations for consumer safety. But I also know that the locker that I frequent that is not a "like USDA" participant is the cleanest and best managed locker I've ever encountered. The "like USDA" one I've used leaves me scratching my head in terms of "clean/sanitary".
In my opinion, the truth is that these laws exist for consumer safety but they are kept on the books by large meat packers.
And don't get me started that these regulations exist for meat but don't for say organic spinach fertilized with manure.
the :/tldr version -- check with your state's Dept of AG rules and regulations for meat sales.
pdubdo
Well-known member
Now I have to google, "pig tractor" because that sounds like something great!
pdubdo
Well-known member
Just processed my first 3 cow. 3 years old and didn't breed. Pasture raised/no feed. sold half and kept half. I sold at $6/lb hanging weight and my buyers were happy. However, my final product came in at under 50% of hanging weight...maybe this was because she wasn't finished in any way...gonna trend on next year's cow as well. The beef tastes slightly different than store-bought. Like someone said, "beefier" but definitely not worse. At least the same or better. I also think it depends on the pasture/forage. I've taken deer off other properties that tastes gamey, but the deer I take of my place tastes amazing.
Little Joe
Well-known member
Now I have to google, "pig tractor" because that sounds like something great!
If you have an area of pasture that is weedy, poor or just needs renovated a pig tractor is awesome, just sow some good grasses or cover crop after you move the pigs.
Son of Butch
Well-known member
I can't imagine any sane person HAPPILY paying $12+ lb for hamburger that
tastes the same or slightly better than store bought.
Selling 1 side of beef 1 time to 1 person does not a market make.
Repeat customers determine the truth to how Happy the buyers actually are with a purchase.
I'm selling halves for 4.30lb all cuts. Around 60% is hamburger.
For me this is break even vs sale barn. I don't make any extra money. The idea is that once people have a lot of beef in the freezer they'll eat more beef than they usually would.
For me this is break even vs sale barn. I don't make any extra money. The idea is that once people have a lot of beef in the freezer they'll eat more beef than they usually would.
Hpacres440p
Well-known member
Just an observation-my repeat customers have said they love the leanness of my home-raised beef. I did have one (who likely won't be a repeat) gripe about the flavor of the ground though. I always ask my processor to get as many cuts as possible, with as little ground. Maybe the fat flavor difference is what it is? Very lean, dense ground either way.
pdubdo
Well-known member
My bad...$3.50/lb hanging weight: I was shooting for a $6/lb final product price and got pretty close to that. and agree with you--I don't have a market
this was more of a feasibility experiment that went okay. we'll see what happens with the next one.
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
I would like to point out that comparing store bought hamburg to home raised - whether it is grain fed or grass fed - isn't a contest.
Also, a side note. In my area of Upstate NY, our deer are grain fed.
Corn and soy beans.
Also, a side note. In my area of Upstate NY, our deer are grain fed.
Corn and soy beans.Peace
Well-known member
I wonder if putting the pigs on the "sacrificed" winter pastures a lot of these guys talk about would be a good idea. I think it would, they'd turn all that manure and carbon over, after the 5 months it takes to finish them, just take a disc or something to level it back out and then throw the seed over the top....might just work out well for fast reclamation.
