Market Farming

[Sojourner <sojournr AT missouri.org>]

Allan Balliett wrote:
> 
> So, I've become confused on the 'freedom' USDA inspection gives me to
> sell my own meat. If I have my birds slaughtered at a USDA plant,
> then do I have the right to put them in the freezer and sell them two
> months from now?

Depends on the level of certification of the slaughterhouse.  Most small
local slaughterhouses are licensed only for direct-to-owner services. 
This means that they can only slaughter and package for the OWNER and
the owner may not resell that meat, either to a restaraunt or to
consumers.

Of course, around here, most small local slaughterhouses won't mess with
chickens or rabbits.

> Do I have the right to take them to the farmers
> market and sell them from a cooler?

Depends on your state and local farmer's market rules.

> How much 'freedom' do I have to
> market the meat that was raised here?

As much as your local state regulations allow, within the purview of the
overall USDA regulations.

> AND, doesn't my ability to
> store meat realiably become an issue to health departments?

Probably.

The health department is an organization I really don't want to get
involved with.  In this state, and I'm led to believe most others as
well, the rules are so poorly written they are open to vast amounts of
interpretation.  I've contacted the state office that is supposed to
deal with "Value Added Sales and Marketing for the small farmer" here in
Missouri, an organization that was announced with much fanfare because
it was supposed to be such a help to the struggling small farmer in this
state, over the issue of the difficulty in pinning anyone down on health
regulations in this state, and every single letter I've sent has been
ignored.

To give you an idea of what I'm faced with here in the state of
Missouri, when I went to the local health department in my county (a
poor rural county whose largest town has a pop. of around 4k) I was told
that in order to be able to resell jellies and preserves I had to have a
full blown commercial kitchen, with a separate septic system, 3
stainless steel commercial sinks, a commercial dish washer, and a whole
bunch of other expensive equipment.

But in another county people get certified by THEIR local health dept.
officials if they only have separate kitchen facilities not used for
daily meals and to which animals/pets do not have free access, with
running hot and cold water, its own stove, sink, refrigerator, and
preparation area.  All of which are reasonable; telling me I need to
spend $20k (or more, that's assuming I build it myself) building and
outfitting an entirely separate building is not.

So you are totally at the mercy, in this state, of whoever the local
health inspector is.

-- 
Holly ;-D
Contrary Peasant
sojournr AT missouri.org