Regulatory Requirements for Selling Meats Beth Yongue, DVM Assistant State Director NCDA&CS Meat and Poultry Inspection Division
WHO WE ARE We are a division of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services Funding is 50 % state and 50 % Federal One of 27 States with a meat inspection program USDA Food Safety Inspection Service also operates in NC
WHO WE ARE We are an agency of 120 employees, including: Veterinarians, Compliance Officers, Supervisory Personnel, Trainers, Meat & Poultry Inspectors, Office Staff Our headquarter office is in downtown Raleigh, but our employees are stationed across NC
MPID MISSION STATEMENT Enforce state and federal laws designed to ensure that the meat and poultry products sent into commerce are wholesome, unadulterated and properly labeled
WHAT WE INSPECT Red meat slaughter and/or further processing establishments and poultry processing establishments Firms that wholesale meat and poultry products or conduct off-site retail sales are required to be inspected by the NCDA or USDA USDA inspects all NC poultry slaughter plants
Frequently Asked Questions Can a farmer slaughter livestock of their own raising for personal consumption?
Yes North Carolina General Statutes permit an individual to slaughter livestock of his/her own raising. The General Statute allows for the meats derived from the livestock to be consumed by the individual, their family members, employees, and non-paying guests. Meats derived from such slaughter cannot be sold.
Can a farmer sell livestock to an individual and allow that individual to slaughter and dress the livestock on their farm?
Not unless the farmer has an inspected slaughter facility Allowing a buyer to slaughter outside on your property is not allowed under State or Federal Law. In this scenario, the farmer is providing a location for slaughter. Laws require such slaughter to occur in a facility that has been inspected for sanitation by the Department of Agriculture.
A farmer sells livestock to another individual. This person wants to take the animal home with them and slaughter it. They then want to share the meats with their family, employees and other non-paying guests. Is this allowable?
Maybe The NC General Statutes do not define the length of time an animal has to be owned to be of your own raising. There are no state or federal meat inspection laws prohibiting the new owner of the livestock from slaughtering it. However, depending on where the person lives, there may be local ordinances prohibiting having livestock and/or slaughtering livestock.
A farmer would like to sell the meats derived from livestock they raise. What do they need to do?
Locate a Slaughter House State and Federal Laws Require that any meats from livestock that enter commerce (sold to the public) be slaughtered and processed in facilities inspected by either the USDA or NCDA. All products must meet the requirements to be been labeled as inspected and passed. USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service NCDA Meat and Poultry Inspection Division
Difference between USDA and NCDA Meat Inspection NCDA and USDA inspected slaughter and processing plants follow the same regulations to ensure that meat and poultry products are wholesome and safe for human consumption. NCDA inspected meat and poultry products can only be sold within the State. USDA inspected meat and poultry products can be sold across state lines, by mail and online.
State Inspection Legend with Dimensions
USDA Meat Inspection Legend
Antemortem Inspection
Postmortem Inspection
Veterinary Disposition
Meat Handler Registration If the farmer wants to further transport, store and resell the packaged meats, they are required to register with NCDA&CS Meat and Poultry Inspection Division as a Meat and Poultry Handler.
Meat Handler Registration No charge On-site visit to see where product will be stored, how it is transported, check for proper labeling. When ready for registration, call NCDA&CS Meat and Poultry Inspection Division at 919-733-4136.
Storage of Product Most use household chest type freezers, some have commercial freezers. Freezers must be maintained in a sanitary condition. Product must not be exposed to any conditions such as leaks, condensation, rodent/pest problems, poor sanitation or housekeeping, etc. that could cause adulteration of the product during storage.
Transporting Product Refrigerated trucks, chest type freezers or chest coolers with alternative cooling such as ice packs, dry ice or inverters. Freezers, coolers and transport vehicles must be clean. All meat and poultry products must be transported under conditions which will not lead to the adulteration of the product due to temperature abuse.
Questions to ask an Inspected Facility Is the facility willing to slaughter and process the animal under inspection oversight? Is the facility USDA or NCDA inspected? Can I develop my own label? If so, How? How are the animals handled? What part of the animal do I get to keep? Can the facility label each individual package for resale? How are the meats packaged? How long do you allow a beef to age or hang? What is the fee?
Can I have the product labeled with a claim? Claims such as: raised without antibiotics, no added hormones, free range, grass feed, 100% Angus Beef, etc. may not be applied to the product label unless approval is granted to the Inspected Establishment producing the product by the USDA Label Policy Branch in Washington, DC or the NCDA & CS, Meat and Poultry Inspection Division.
Questions to Ask A Farmer s Market What is the fee? What are the hours of the market? Do you require active refrigeration? May I sell products from an ice chest? Are there other meat vendors? May I give away samples? What types of advertising do you allow?
Services for New Establishments Information on our Web Site: http:/www.ncagr.gov/meatpoultry Customized packets of written information Courtesy Reviews Engineering Services Agribusiness Development Assistance Assist NCSU in teaching HACCP, Sanitation Courses for Industry
How to Contact Us NCDA&CS Meat and Poultry Inspection Division Agriculture Building Box 1001 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1001 919-733-4136 919-715-0246 fax www.ncagr.gov/meatpoultry Beth.Yongue@ncagr.gov