a west virginia producer’s guide to processing & marketing meat &...

A West Virginia Producer’s Guide to Processing & Marketing

Meat & Poultry

Spring 2014

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1!

Contents SLAUGHTER,+PROCESSING+AND+MARKETING+REQUIREMENTS:+A+GENERAL+OVERVIEW+........................+3!

KNOWING!YOUR!REGULATORS!................................................................................................................!3!

FEDERALLY!REGULATED!SLAUGHTER!&!PROCESSING!..............................................................................!4!

STATE!–REGULATED!SLAUGHTER,!PROCESSING!&!MARKETING!...............................................................!5!

LOCAL!REGULATIONS!ON!MARKETING!....................................................................................................!5!

CHOOSING+WHERE+AND+HOW+TO+SLAUGHTER+.....................................................................................+6!CHART!OF!MARKETING!CHANNELS!AND!ALLOWABLE!OUTLETS!..............................................................!7!

WHERE!AND!HOW!TO!SLAUGHTER:!!FREQUENTLY!ASKED!QUESTIONS!....................................................!7!

REGULATIONS+ON+MARKETING,+LABELING+AND+STORAGE+...................................................................+8!BASIC!LABELING!.......................................................................................................................................!8!

NUTRITION!LABELS!..................................................................................................................................!9!

LICENSES!&!REQUIREMENTS!FOR!SELLING!YOUR!PRODUCT!....................................................................!9!

PRODUCT!STORAGE!.................................................................................................................................!9!

RECORDKEEPING!...................................................................................................................................!10!

AT!A!GLANCE:!!SLAUGHTERING,!PROCESSING!AND!MARKETING!REQUIREMENTS!................................!11!

AT!A!GLANCE:!!TYPICAL!PERMITS!REQUIRED!FOR!FARMERS!SELLING!MEAT!&!EGGS!.............................!12!

SPECIES+BY+SPECIES+GUIDE+.................................................................................................................+13!CATTLE,!SHEEP,!SWINE,!GOATS,!EQUINES,!&!CATFISH!...........................................................................!13!

POULTRY!(CHICKENS,!TURKEYS,!DUCKS,!GEESE,!GUINEAS,!RATITES,!SQUABS,!YOUNG!PIGEONS)!.........!14!

RABBITS!.................................................................................................................................................!17!

OTHER!NONHTRADITIONAL,!DOMESTICATED!ANIMALS![INCLUDING!REINDEER,!ELK,!ANTELOPE,!WATER!

BUFFALO,!BISON]!...................................................................................................................................!21!

EGGS!......................................................................................................................................................!24!

GLOSSARY/DEFINITIONS+....................................................................................................................+25!

LOCAL,+STATE,+FEDERAL,+AND+OTHER+RESOURCES+AND+CONTACTS+....................................................+27!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS+......................................................................................................................+28!DEVELOPMENT!TEAM!............................................................................................................................!28!

ADVISORY!&!REVIEW!TEAM!...................................................................................................................!28!

Legal!Notice As!with!any!business!venture,!it!is!up!to!the!business!owner!to!exercise!due!diligence!in!consulting!with!

local,!state!and!federal!regulators!to!ensure!that!they!are!operating!within!the!law.!We!have!done!our!

best!to!compile!relevant!laws!and!regulations!and!consult!with!state!agencies!when!creating!this!

educational!guide.!Laws,!regulations!and!their!interpretations!are!subject!to!change,!and!the!effects!of!

future!policy!change!cannot!be!predicted.!!The!West!Virginia!Food!&!Farm!Coalition!is!not!a!law!firm,!

and!no!part!of!this!guide!should!be!considered!as!legal!advice.!

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2!

Introduction!

The!intent!of!this!guide!is!to!help!current!and!future!meat!and!poultry!producers!understand!the!federal!

and!state!laws!that!apply!to!their!meat!sales!operations.!!The!guide!was!first!conceived!by!the!Meat!

Processing!Working!Group,!a!group!of!animal!farmers!working!to!expand!meat!processing!options!for!

West!Virginia!animal!farmers.!!The!guide!is!designed!to!answer!farmers’!questions!such!as:!!

!

• What!can!I!sell?!

• Where!can!I!sell!it?!

• How!can!I!reduce!the!risks!to!my!farm!business!by!making!sure!that!I!am!following!the!law?!

• Which!agencies!are!regulating!my!products,!and!who!at!those!agencies!can!answer!my!

questions?!

The!regulations!addressed!here!are!all!related!to!meat—that!is,!the!slaughtering!of!animals,!processing!

of!meat!products,!storage,!and!sale!of!those!products.!!We!do!not!discuss!any!of!the!regulations!on!live!

animals,!such!as!animal!ID!requirements.!!For!information!on!those!requirements,!you!may!wish!to!

contact!!the!WVDA!Division!of!Animal!Health.!

The!guide!was!assembled!and!reviewed!by!staff!from!the!West!Virginia!Food!&!Farm!Coalition!and!the!

Meat!Processing!Working!Group,!West!Virginia!University!College!of!Law,!WVU!Extension!Service,!and!

the!West!Virginia!Department!of!Agriculture.!!We!are!grateful!to!all!the!people!who!contributed!

information!to!the!guide!and!worked!to!make!sure!it!was!correct.!

!

If!you!would!like!to!order!a!paper!copy!of!this!guide,[email protected],!call!304H

877H7920,!or!write!to:!

!

West!Virginia!Food!&!Farm!Coalition!

411!Main!St.,!Suite!215!

Mount!Hope,!WV!25880!

!

We!hope!you!find!this!useful!and!invite!you!to!send!us!your!comments!at!the!addresses!above.!

!

Sincerely,!

!

Meat%Processing%Infrastructure%Working%Group%(An%affiliate%of%the%West%Virginia%Food%&%Farm%Coalition)%%April%2014%%

!

!

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3!

Slaughter,!Processing,!and!Marketing!Requirements:!A!General!Overview!!!

This!section!provides!general!information!about!who!regulates!the!slaughter,!processing,!and!marketing!

of!meats!in!West!Virginia;!the!requirements!for!processing!and!marketing!in!order!to!sell!at!various!

marketing!outlets;!and!requirements!for!storage,!labeling,!and!sales.!

KNOWING!YOUR!REGULATORS!!

When!processing!and!marketing!meats,!producers!must!pay!attention!to!regulations!at!three!different!

levels:!!local,!state,!and!federal.!Depending!on!how!a!farmer!is!selling!(or!not!selling)!her!meats,!she!may!

or!may!not!need!to!deal!directly!with!all!three!levels!of!regulation.!For!example,!if!you!are!a!farmer!

processing!poultry!on!the!farm!and!selling!it!at!a!farmers!market!within!West!Virginia,!you!will!probably!

deal!with!county!regulators!(i.e.,!your!local!health!department)!and!occasionally!with!state!regulators!

(the!WV!Department!of!Agriculture),!but!you!may!never!need!to!deal!with!a!federal!regulator.!

!

Generally%speaking,!the!slaughter!(killing)!of!livestock!and!processing!(butchering)!of!meat!is!regulated!

by!United!States!Department!of!Agriculture!(USDA)!guidelines.!All!meat!processing!plants!in!West!

Virginia!are!licensed!and!inspected!as!either!USDA!(federallyHinspected)!plants!or!WV!Department!of!

Agriculture!(stateHinspected)!plants.!!WV!Department!of!Agriculture!plants!are!operated!under!the!same!

guidelines!as!USDA!through!the!Meat!Inspection!Division!of!WVDA,!though!different!rules!and!

restrictions!apply!to!where!meat!can!be!sold,!depending!on!the!type!of!inspection!at!the!slaughter!

and/or!processing!facility.!

!

Agencies!Involved!at!Each!Level:!

+• Federal:!!The!USDA!Food!Safety!Inspection!Service!(FSIS)!inspects!about!7!slaughterhouses!in!

WV.!!Meat%from!USDA%inspected%plants%CAN%be%sold%across%state%lines.%%++

• State:++The!WVDA!Meat!&!Poultry!Inspection!Division!inspects!12!commercial!slaughterhouses!

and!13!custom!slaughter!operations!in!WV!at!the!time!of!publication,!and!is!also!responsible!for!

regulating!onHfarm!poultry!processing!for!commercial!sale.!!Meats!from!WVDAHlicensed!

commercial!slaughter!and!processing!establishments!can!be!sold!commercially!within%West%Virginia%only,!while!meats!from!WVDAHlicensed!custom!establishments!generally!cannot!be!

offered!for!sale.!!!+

• Local:+Local!Health!Departments!may!regulate!how!you!store!and!sell!your!meat,!and!may!have!

special!requirements!for!those!selling!meat!at!farmers!markets.!+!

If!you!are!uncertain!about!which!regulations!apply!to!you!and!how!to!follow!them,!it!is!a!good!idea!to!

contact!your!regulators!directly.!This!can!help!you!to!avoid!surprises%down!the!road.!The!Meat!&!Poultry!

Inspection!Division!of!the!West!Virginia!Department!of!Agriculture!can!provide!resources!and!answer!

regulatory!questions.!If!you!are!selling!meat,!you!are!also!advised!to!communicate!with!the!local!health!

department!in!any!county!where!you!sell!meat.!Contact!information!for!federal,!state,!and!local!

authorities!are!included!at!the!end!of!this!document.!

!

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4!

!

In!the!following!sections,!we!give!more!info!on!each!level!of!government!regulation,!the!different!types!

of!slaughterhouse!inspection,!and!when!each!one!might!or!might!not!apply!to!you.!

!

FEDERALLY!REGULATED!SLAUGHTER!&!PROCESSING!!

As!mentioned!previously,!the!U.S.!Department!of!Agriculture!is!one!of!the!two!inspection!agencies!

(along!with!the!WV!Department!of!Agriculture)!from!which!WV!slaughterhouses!can!choose!to!receive!

their!licensing.!A+meat+product+must+be+both+slaughtered+and+processed+in+a+USDAUinspected+facility+in+order+to+be+sold+across+state+lines.++All!USDA!plants!in!West!Virginia!are!categorized!as!"commercial".!!

This!indicates!that!the!entire!process!of!slaughter!and!processing!is!done!under!direct!supervision!and!

inspection!of!a!USDA!meat!inspector.!!This!product!can!be!labeled!and!sold!anywhere!in!the!United!

States.!

!

Generally,!it!is!the!slaughterhouse!owners!and!managers—not!the!farmer—who!deal!directly!with!USDA!

inspectors.!However,!it!is!the!farmer’s!responsibility!to!make!sure!that!USDA!inspected!the!slaughter!

AND!processing!of!any!meat!products!that!he/she!is!selling!across!state!lines.!It!is!important!to!ask!the!

slaughterhouse!you!use!to!verify!that!it!is!a!USDAHinspected!facility,!and!to!ask!if!it!does!all!processing!in!

the!same!facility.!If!it!does!not!do!all!of!its!processing!inHhouse,!ask!who!does!the!processing,!and!find!

out!if!that!processor!is!USDAHinspected.!!!!!

!

Each!slaughterer!and!processor!is!required!to!register!with!USDA!and!receive!an!official!establishment!

number.!!When!you!receive!your!product,!make!sure!it!is!stamped!“Inspected!and!Passed”!and!shows!

the!official!establishment!number!of!the!slaughterer,!if!the!slaughterer!did!the!processing;!of!the!

processor,!if!different!from!the!slaughterer;!or!of!both!the!slaughterer!and!processor.!!USDA!inspection!

marks!look!like!this:!

!

!

!

!

!

If!your!meat!product!bears!one!of!these!labels,!it!should!be!legal!for!sale!across!state!lines—but!be!sure!

to!verify!that!your!animal!was!slaughtered!and!processed!under!USDA!inspection.!!!

!

!

!

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5!

STATE!–REGULATED!SLAUGHTER,!PROCESSING!&!MARKETING!+Most!slaughterhouses!and!meat!processors!in!West!Virginia!are!not!inspected!by!USDA!but!by!the!West!

Virginia!Department!of!Agriculture!(WVDA).!There!are!two!types!of!stateHinspected!slaughterhouses!and!

meat!processing!facilities:!commercial%and!custom%facilities:!!

• Commercial+meat!slaughter!and/or!processing!facilities!must!have!an!inspector!present!during!

operation,!and!the!inspector!must!inspect!each!animal!slaughtered!or!processed.!!As!with!USDAH

inspected!plants,!meat!processed!in!WVDA!commercial!plants!is!done!under!the!direct!

supervision!and!inspection!of!state!meat!inspectors!and!can!be!labeled!and!sold!–but!only!

within!the!state.!!!

!

• Custom+slaughter!and/or!processing!facilities!are!licensed!by!WVDA!but!do!not!have!an!

inspector!continuously!present!or!animalHbyHanimal!inspection.!!These!facilities!are!licensed!by!

the!state,!are!inspected!(usually!quarterly),!and!must!comply!with!food!safety!standards.!!

Custom!processed!product!cannot!be!labeled!or!sold!and!is!intended!for!the!personal!

consumption!of!the!customer!and!her!or!his!nonHpaying!guests.!!Every!custom!slaughtered!or!

processed!product!must!be!marked!“NOT+FOR+SALE.”!!!!

As!with!USDA!inspected!facilities,!it!is!usually!the!role!of!the!slaughterhouse!

or!processing!plant!manager—not!the!farmer—to!deal!directly!with!WVDA!

inspectors.!!!However,!you!are!responsible!for!making!sure!that!any!meat!

you!sell!was!inspected!and!is!labeled!for!commercial!sale.!!You!can!tell!by!

looking!at!your!finished!product!whether!it!was!slaughtered!and!processed!

in!a!WVDAHlicensed!commercial!facility.!!West%Virginia%inspected%commercial%meats%will%bear%this%stamp,%with%the%establishment%number%of%the%slaughterhouse%or%processor%in%place%of%the%digits%“000.”%%This%stamp%means%that%your%product%is%legal%to%sell%within&West&Virginia.%!

In!addition!to!regulating!slaughter!and!processing!facilities,!the!WV!Department!of!Agriculture!also!

regulates!the!marketing,!labeling,!and!sale!of!meat!products.!This!is!the!area!of!regulation!where!you!

are!most!likely!to!interact!directly!with!the!WV!Department!of!Agriculture.!!

LOCAL!REGULATIONS!ON!MARKETING!!

Local!health!departments!regulate!food!safety!where!food!is!prepared,!sold,!and!stored.!!Local!health!

departments!are!operated!by!the!local!Board!of!Health,!whose!members!are!appointed!by!the!County!

Commission!and!other!officials.!!(Some!areas!of!the!state!have!established!regional!health!departments!

that!include!multiple!counties;!you!can!look!up!details!for!your!area!at!!www.wvdhhr.org/phs/LHD.pdf.)!

Each!local!health!department!is!responsible!for!enforcing!the!health!and!food!safety!regulations!that!are!

required!by!state!and!federal!code.!Local!health!departments!are!antonymous!agencies!that!have!local!

authority!to!determine!enforcement!of!rules!and!code,!but!also!to!impose!some!additional!restrictions!

of!their!own,!within!legal!limits.!State!government!(via!the!WV!Bureau!for!Health)!provides!training,!

technical!assistance,!and!rule/Code!interpretations!to!local!sanitarians,!but!the!state!does!not!have!

direct!authority!over!local!health!departments!

!

It!is!important!to!find!out!if!the!activities!of!your!business!are!subject!to!local!health!department!

regulation.!In!all!likelihood,!you!are.!The!best!and!only!way!to!determine!is!by!calling!your!local!health!

department,!explaining!what!you!sell!and!how!you!sell!it,!and!asking!if!you!need!any!permits.!If!you!are!

!!!!!! !!

6!

selling!at!a!farmers!market,!operating!your!own!retail!site,!or!thinking!about!opening!a!restaurant!or!

concession!stand!to!sell!your!meat,!you!will!definitely!need!to!contact!your!local!health!department.!!For!

example,!to!sell!at!a!farmers!market,!you!will!probably!be!asked!to!purchase!a!Retail+Food+Permit.!This!permit!is!required!of!all!farmers!market!vendors!who!sell!potentially!hazardous!foods!like!meats,!dairy,!

and!eggs.!!Permits!generally!require!an!annual!fee,!which!includes!routine!inspections.!Permit!fees!may!

vary!from!county!to!county.!!Some!local!health!departments!have!additional!requirements,!such!as!a!

Food!Handlers!Card!or!Serve!Safe!Certificate,!which!is!why!it!is!important!to!ask!your!local!health!

department!about!requirements!before+you!start!selling!your!meat!products.!!

!

If!you!are!selling!at!farmers!markets!in!more!than!one!county,!you!should!expect!to!have!a!relationship!

with!the!local!health!department!in!each!county!where!you!are!selling.!Each!local!health!department!

may!interpret!the!Food!Code!differently,!and!you!will!probably!be!required!to!purchase!a!separate!Retail!

Food!Permit!in!every!county!where!you!sell.!Again,!this!is!because!each!local!health!department!is!an!

independent!agency!that!can!require!permits!of!anyone!who!is!selling!food!in!its!jurisdiction.!!!

!

If!you!are!doing!any!slaughter!or!meat!processing!on!the!farm,!and!especially!if!you!are!constructing!a!

facility!to!do!so,!you!will!need!to!consult!with!your!local!health!department!regarding!approved!

wastewater!disposal!methods.!Also,!be!aware!that!some!counties!have!zoning!regulations!that!affect!

where!a!meat!processing!facility!can!be!built.!!Contact!your!local!planning!authority!or!county!

commission.!

!

If!you!feel!that!you!are!being!incorrectly!charged!for!permits,!you!may!wish!to!consult!with!the!WV!

Bureau!for!Health!to!make!sure!that!your!local!health!department!is!interpreting!the!rule!on!permit!

requirements!correctly.!

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Choosing!Where!and!How!to!Slaughter!!

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7!

The!following!chart!summarizes!slaughter!requirements!for!different!meat!marketing!outlets.!!It!is!

important!to!note!that!specific!requirements!vary!for!different!types!of!meat.!!For!example,!poultry,!

rabbits,!and!fish!are!regulated!differently!from!red!meat.!!The!latter!sections!of!this!guide!provide!more!

detail!about!the!requirements!for!different!meats.!

Chart!of!Marketing!Channels!and!Allowable!Sales!Outlets!!

!! !! Where!the!Meat!Can!be!Used/Sold*!

!!

!!Household!

Consumption!

(NO!sale)!

CSA!(preH

slaughter!

sales)!

CSA!(postH

slaughter!

sales)!

Farmers!

market!

Hotels,!

Restaurants,!

and!

Institutions†!

Across!

State!

Lines!

Slaughter!or!Processing!

Location!

USDA!

Inspected!Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!

WVDA!

Licensed!

Commercial! Yes! Yes! Yes!

Yes! Yes! !No!

WVDA!

Custom!Yes! Yes! No! No! No! !No!

OnHFarm!(red!

meat)!Yes! No! No! No! No! No!

!OnHFarm!

(poultry)**!Yes!

Up!to!

20,000!

per!year,!

with!

conditio

ns!

Up!to!

20,000!

per!year,!

with!

conditions!

Up!to!

20,000!

per!year,!

with!

conditions!

Up!to!

20,000!per!

year,!with!

conditions!

!No!

!

WHERE!AND!HOW!TO!SLAUGHTER:!!FREQUENTLY!ASKED!QUESTIONS!!+Can&I&sell&meat&from&animals&that&I&have&slaughtered&myself?&&Federal!and!state!regulations!do!not!permit!sales!of!cattle,!sheep,!swine,!goats,!equines,!or!catfish!

unless!they!are!slaughtered!and!processed!at!a!federal!or!state!facility.!!You!may!use!onHfarm!

slaughtered![cattle,!sheep,!swine,!goats,!equines,!catfish]!only!for!personal!consumption.!!However,!

poultry!is!covered!under!a!special!onHfarm!processing!exemption!which!allows!it!to!be!processed!on!the!

farm!and!sold!off!the!farm.!!Farmers!must!abide!by!the!applicable!rules.!!Poultry!is!the!only!meat!

covered!under!this!exemption.!See!the!Species!by!Species!section!on!poultry!for!details.!!!

%

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*!Additional!permits!or!licenses!may!be!required.!Check!with!your!local!health!department!and!the!West!Virginia!

Department!of!Agriculture!for!more!information.!!

**!Poultry!is!covered!under!a!special!onHfarm!processing!exemption!which!allows!it!to!be!processed!on!the!farm!

and!sold!off!the!farm.!!Farmers!must!abide!by!the!applicable!rules.!!Currently,!poultry!is!the!only!meat!covered!

under!this!exemption.!See!page!xx!for!details.!†!Schools!are!considered!institutions!under!federal!law!and!can!purchase!exempted!poultry.!!

!!!!!! !!

8!

Can&I&use&a&custom&slaughterer&or&processor&if&I&sell&animals&to&my&CSA&(Community&Supported&Agriculture)&members&before&slaughter?&Probably.!!This!is!not!specifically!mentioned!in!the!laws!and!regulations,!but!WVDA!has!taken!the!

position!that!a!producer!may!first!sell!the!animal!to!a!CSA!member,!deliver!the!animal!to!a!custom!

slaughterer!or!processor!on!behalf!of!the!CSA!member/owner,!and!then!deliver!the!final!product!to!the!

CSA!member/owner.!!If!you!sell!shares!of!animals,!be!sure!you!have!sold!all!shares!before!delivering!the!

animal!to!be!slaughtered!or!processed!at!a!custom!facility.!!If!you!plan!to!sell!animals!or!shares!of!

animals!to!CSA!members!before!slaughter,!you!may!want!to!contact!WVDA’s!Meat!Products!Inspection!

Division.!

!

Can&I&use&plants&in&other&states&to&slaughter&and&process&my&animals?!!Since!the!product!will!cross!state!lines,!you!would!be!required!to!use!a!USDA!plant.!For!your!protection!

it!would!be!best!to!contact!USDA's!FSIS!office!for!specific!verification!(see!page!26!for!contact!

information)."!

Regulations!on!Marketing,!Labeling,!and!Storage!!BASIC!LABELING!!!

Federal!and!state!laws!contain!detailed!labeling!requirements!for!meat!products.!These!requirements!

include!rules!regarding!size!and!location!of!labels;!name!and!address!of!the!manufacturer,!packager,!or!

distributor;!name!of!the!product;!official!inspection!marks;!dietary!claims;!safe!handling!instructions;!

and!when!you!must!use!descriptions!such!as!“imitation”!or!“artificial!flavoring.”!!All!meat!products!sold!

must!have!a!label!that!includes!the!Product!Name,!Inspection!Legend!with!Establishment!Number,!and!

the!plant!or!company!address.!Products!with!more!than!one!ingredient!must!have!an!ingredients!

statement.!Only!shelfHstable!products!do!not!need!a!handling!statement.!Most!products!require!the!net!

weight!to!be!listed!on!the!label.!Your!processor!and/or!the!WVDA!will!often!be!able!to!help!you!

determine!what!should!be!on!your!label.!!!

!

The!minimum!requirements!for!meat!labels!at%a%farmers%market,!as!listed!in!the!Farmers!Market!Vendor!

Guide!published!by!the!WV!Bureau!for!Public!Health,!include:!

• Common!name!of!the!product!

• Net!weight!of!the!product!

• Other!information!required!by!WVDA!and!USDA!safeHhandling!instructions.!

!

According!to!WVDA,!a!commercial!label!must!have!8!features:!

• Product!name!

• USDA!or!WVDA!inspection!legend!

• Safe!handling!statement!

• Net!weight!statement!

• Ingredients!statement!

• Address!or!producer!or!processor,!!

• Nutrition!facts!

• Safe!handling!instructions.!!!

!!!!!! !!

9!

Poultry!slaughtered!and!processed!under!exemption!need!only!have!the!product!name,!net!weight,!and!

producers!name!and!address.!

NUTRITION!LABELS!%In+most+cases+a+nutrition+label+is+required+on+your+product,+but+there+are+some+exemptions.!!Small!

businesses,!defined!as!businesses!that!employ!fewer!than!500!people!and!produce!no!more!than!

100,000!pounds!of!product,!do!not!have!to!apply!nutrition!labels!to!singleHingredient,!raw!meat!

products,!or!to!ground!or!chopped!products!that!state!the!lean!and!fat!percentages,!as!long!as!product!

labels!do!not!bear!any!nutrition!claims!or!nutrition!information.!!Other!exemptions!also!apply,!such!as!

products!intended!for!further!processing,!products!that!are!not!for!sale!to!consumers,!and!products!that!

are!custom!slaughtered!or!prepared,!as!long!as!the!labels!do!not!bear!any!nutrition!claims!or!nutrition!

information.!For!assistance!with!nutrition!labels!contact!the!WVDA!Marketing!&!Development!Division!

or!your!local!WVU!Extension!agent.!

!

LICENSES!&!REQUIREMENTS!FOR!SELLING!YOUR!PRODUCT!!!

You+are+required+to+apply+to+WVDA+for+a+Meat+Distributor’s+License+in+order+to+sell+any+of+your+inspected+meat+products.%For!example,!if!you!are!selling!meat!at!a!farmers!market!or!an!onHfarm!

market,!you!must!have!a!Meat!Distributors!License.!Keep!in!mind!that!you!must!reHapply!if!your!farm!

changes!ownership!or!location.!At!time!of!printing,!the!cost!of!this!license!was!$5.!!Contact!the!WV!

Department!of!Agriculture!Meat!Inspection!Division!at!(304)!558H2206!to!apply.!!!!

!

As!mentioned!previously,!if!you!plan!to!sell!meat!at!a!farmers!market!or!otherwise!direct!market!your!

meat,!including!on!your!farm!or!directly!to!restaurants!and!other!institutions,!you!will!generally!be!

required!to!apply!to!your!local!Health!Department!for!a!Retail!Food!Permit.!Check!with!your!local!Health!

Department!to!find!out!its!specific!requirements.!The!fee!for!this!permit!is!up!to!$50!per!checkout!

station!in!each!county!in!which!you!sell!each!year.!You!must!also!be!sure!that!your!products!are:!

• Commercially!(not!custom)!slaughtered!and!processed!under!USDA!or!WVDA!inspection!

• Kept!at!a!temperature!of!41!degrees!Fahrenheit!or!less.!Some!localities!may!require!mechanical!

refrigeration.!!

• Held,!stored!and!transported!in!a!clean,!sanitary!environment.!!The!Farmers!Market!Vendor!

Guide!notes!that!“Cured,!smoked!or!dehydrated!meats!for!sale!at!Farmers!Markets!shall!be!

USDA!or!WVDA!inspected.!See!9!CFR!303.1!The!vendor!must!supply!appropriate!documentation!

at!the!point!of!sale!proving!the!product!has!been!approved.”!

Any!time!you!sell!at!a!farmers!market,!and!once!you!purchase!a!permit!from!your!local!Health!

Department,!they!can!inspect!any!location!in!their!jurisdiction!where!food!is!stored!or!sold.!!The!Farmers!

Market!Vendor!Guide,!published!by!the!WV!Bureau!for!Public!Health,!contains!the!requirements!that!

local!Health!Departments!use!when!they!inspect!farmers!market!vendors.!!You!can!find!and!download!

the!guide!at!http://www.wvdhhr.org/phs/food/.!!The!interpretation!of!these!guidelines!may!vary!from!

county!to!county.!!

PRODUCT!STORAGE!!

!!!!!! !!

10!

You!can!store!commerciallyHslaughtered!products!on!your!farm!before!selling!them.!!However,!custom!

products!must!at!all!times!be!kept!completely!separate!from!products!intended!for!sale.!!If!you!are!not!

sure!if!your!storage!facilities!would!be!considered!completely!separate,!contact!WVDA’s!Meat!&!Poultry!

Inspection!Division.!!&

RECORDKEEPING!!!

Anyone!who!engages!in!the!business!of!buying!or!selling!meat!products!must!keep!certain!records!for!a!

period!of!two!years!following!December!31!of!the!year!in!which!the!purchase!or!sale!occurred.!Records!

must!include!the!identity!and!handling!of!all!animals!and!animal!products!sold.!!

!

% !

!!!!!! !!

11!

AT!A!GLANCE:!!Slaughtering,!Processing!and!Marketing!Requirements!!

Slaughtering+&+Processing+++• Products!from!USDAUinspected+facilities!can!be!sold!across!state!lines.!!

!

• Products!from!WVDAUinspected+commercial+processing+facilities!can!be!sold!only!within!the!state.!!

• Products!from!WVDAUinspected+custom+processing+facilities!generally!cannot!be!sold.!!There!may!

be!exceptions!in!very!specific!cases,!for!example!a!farmer!may!sell!a!whole!animal!to!a!CSA!member!

and!deliver!it!to!the!processor!for!that!customer.!!!

!

• Generally!speaking,!animals!slaughtered!and/or!processed!on!the!farm!cannot!be!sold,!except!in!the!

case!of!certain!poultry.!!(See!Poultry!in!the!Species!by!Species!section!for!details!on!onHfarm!poultry!

processing!&!marketing)!

!

• If!you!want!to!sell!your!product!across!state!lines,%ask!the!slaughterhouse!you!use!to!verify!that!it!is!a!USDAHinspected!facility,!and!ask!if!it!does!all!processing!in!the!same!facility.!!If!not,!ask!who!does!

the!processing,!and!find!out!if!the!processer!is!USDAHinspected.!!!!!

!

• If!planning!to!sell!your!commercial!processed!product,!verify!that!the!stamp!from!the!processor!is!

correct,!using!the!samples!provided!in!this!guide.!

!

• To!find!slaughterhouses!in!your!area!visit!the!interactive!map!at!http://mapwv.gov/foodmapper.!!!

+Marketing,+Labeling+&+Storage+!

• There!are!labeling!requirements!for!commerciallyHprocessed!meats!as!well!as!onHfarm!processed!

poultry.!!See!the!Species!by!Species!for!details.!

!

• If!you!plan!to!sell!meat!products!at!a!farmers!market,!check!in!with!the!local!!Health!Departments!

that!cover!any!locations!where!you!plan!to!sell,!and!expect!to!purchase!a!Retail+Food+Permit!from!

these!local!Health!Departments!(see!next!page!for!permit!details).!!Also,!make!sure!you!follow!the!

guidelines!in!the!Farmers!Market!Vendor!Guide!(e.g.!appropriate!storage—below!41°F,!cleanliness).!!

• You!must!obtain!a!Meat+Distributors+License!from!the!WV!Dept.!of!Agriculture!

!

• You!must!store!commercially!inspected!products!(if!intended!for!sale)!separately!from!customH

processed!on!onHfarm!processed!product

!!!!!! !!

12!

At!a!Glance:!!Typical!Permits!Required!for!Farmers!Selling!Meat!&!Eggs!Abridged!chart!taken!from!“At!A!Glance:!!A!Guide!to!Farmers!Market!Permitting”!2014!fact!sheet,!courtesy!of!the!West!Virginia!Farmers!Market!Association.!!A!more!complete!chart!of!permits!often!required!of!farmers!market!vendors,!including!other!types!of!permits!and!certifications!sometimes!required!by!health!departments,!can!be!found!at:!!www.wvfarmers.org!!!Name!of!permit/!certification!

Applies!to! Format!!

Regulatory!organization!

Annual!Fee!scale!

Contact!for!more!info!

Website!!

WVDA%Meat%and%Poultry%Distributors%License%

Meat!and!poultry!vendors!

Form!to!complete!(Subject!to!inspection)!

WVDA! $5!! Dr.!Robert!Pitts,[email protected]!304.558X2206!!!

http://www.wvagriculture.org/Division_Webpages/meat_poultry.html#apply!!

Small%Egg%Producers%Registration%Form%

Egg!Producers!(less!than!150!dozen![1,800]!eggs!per!week!marketed)!of!their!own!production!

Form!to!complete! WVDA! No!fees! Herma!Johnson,!Director,[email protected]!304.558.2227!

http://www.wvagriculture.org/Division_Webpages/READXregulatory.htm!!

Egg%Distributor%Certificate%of%Authorization%

Egg!Vendors! Form!to!complete!! WVDA! $10!Annual!Permit!Fee!;!$0.08!per!30!dozen!case!due!quarterly!

Herma!Johnson,!Director,[email protected]!304.558.2227!

http://www.wvagriculture.org/Division_Webpages/READXregulatory.htm!!

Food%Establishment%Permit%

Vendors!selling!meat,!poultry,!eggs,!dairy,!chef!demos,!sampling,!prepared!foods!!

Form!to!complete,!which!will!ID!vendors!as!either!“food!service”!or!“retail”!

Local!Health!Departments!!

Varies!by!county,!but!rule!has!capped!at!a!max!of!$50!for!“retail!food“!and!$100!for!“food!establishment”!

Your!local!health!department’s!local!Sanitarian!–!Directory!by!county!found!here!

http://www.wvdhhr.org/phs/forms/SFX5_Food_Establishment_Permit_Application.pdf!(Note:!some!counties!have!customized!forms,!so!be!sure!to!check!with!your!local!health!department!before!submitting.)!

!!!!!! !!

13!

Species!by!Species!Guide!!!In!this!guide,!meat!animals!are!divided!into!four!groups,!according!to!how!they!are!regulated:!• Cattle,!Sheep,!Swine,!Goats,!Equines,!&!Catfish!• Poultry!(Chickens,!Turkeys,!Ducks,!Geese,!Guinea!Hens,!Ratites,!Squabs,!Young!Pigeons)!• Rabbits!• Other!NonMTraditional,!Domesticated!Animals!(Including!Reindeer,!Elk,!Antelope,!Water!Buffalo,!

Bison)!!We!have!also!included!a!section!on!eggs,!since!animal!farmers!producing!meat!are!often!producing!eggs!as!well.!!Each!of!these!groups!is!subject!to!a!unique!set!of!rules!in!state!and!federal!code.!

CATTLE,!SHEEP,!SWINE,!GOATS,!EQUINES,!&!CATFISH*!!Federal!and!state!laws!require!that!the!slaughter!and/or!processing!of!cattle,!sheep,!swine,!goats,!and!catfish!occur!in!a!licensed!facility!under!either!a!USDA!or!WVDA!inspection.!If!the!meat!is!intended!for!sale,!the!animal!must!be!slaughtered!and!processed!either!a!USDA!or!WVDA!Commercial!facility.!!!!!! !! Where!the!Product!Can!Be!Sold†!

!!

!! Personal!Use!

CSA!(preMslaughter!sales)!

CSA!(postMslaughter!sales)!

Farmers'!market!

Restaurant,!schools,!and!other!institutions!

Across!State!Lines!

Slau

ghter!o

r!Processing

!Location!

USDA!Inspected! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!

WVDA!Licensed!Commercial! Yes! Yes! Yes!

Yes! Yes! !No!

Custom! Yes! Yes! No! No! No! !No!OnMFarm! Yes! No! No! No! No! No!

!

Who$can$I$contact$for$more$information?$• USDA!Food!Safety!and!Inspection!Service,!District!80!Regional!Office,!Raleigh,!N.C.,!(919)!844M

8400!or!1M800M662M7608!• WVDA!Meat!and!Poultry!Inspection!Division,!(304)!558M2206!• Your!local!Health!Department,!phone!numbers!available!at!

http://www.dhhr.wv.gov/localhealth/pages/map.aspx!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*!Catfish!slaughter!and!processing!is!regulated!the!same!as!traditional!red!meat!species!per!federal!law.!For!information!on!slaughter!and!processing!of!other!types!of!fish,!contact!the!WVDA!Regulatory!&!Environmental!Affairs!Division.!!†!Additional!permits!or!licenses!may!be!required.!Check!with!your!local!health!department!and!the!West!Virginia!Department!of!Agriculture!for!more!information.!

!!!!!! !!

14!

Laws$and$regulations:$• Federal!Meat!Inspection!Act,!21!U.S.C.!§§!601M695!• Federal!Mandatory!Meat!Inspection!Regulations,!9!C.F.R.!Parts!301!et!seq.!• Federal!Regulatory!Requirements!Under!the!Federal!Meat!Inspection!Act!and!the!Poultry!

Products!Inspection!Act,!9!CFR!parts!416,!417,!424,!430,!441,!442!• Inspection!of!Meat!and!Poultry,!West!Virginia!Code!§!19M2BM1!et!seq.!• Inspection!of!Meat!and!Poultry,!West!Virginia!Legislative!Rule!§!61M16M1!et!seq.!• WV!Food!Establishments!Rule,!WV!Legislative!Rule!64!C.S.R.!17!

!!!POULTRY!(CHICKENS,!TURKEYS,!DUCKS,!GEESE,!GUINEAS,!RATITES,!SQUABS,!YOUNG!PIGEONS)!!Because!of!the!unique!productions!methods!and!issues!associated!with!poultry!production,!processing!and!slaughter,!it!is!regulated!differently!from!other!livestock!under!federal!and!state!laws.!Under!certain!conditions,!federal!regulations!allow!producers!to!slaughter!and!process!up!to!20,000!poultry!onMfarm!exempt!from!inspection!each!year.!!!Unless!operating!under!exemption,!any!poultry!offered!for!sale!must!be!slaughtered!and!processed!in!a!WVDA!or!USDA!inspected!commercial!facility.!!!! !! Where!Product!Can!Be!Sold*!

!!

!! Personal!Use!



Farmers'!market!


Across!State!Lines!

Slau

ghter!o

r!Processing!Locatio

n!

USDA!Inspected†! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!

WVDA!Licensed‡!Commercial! Yes! Yes! Yes!

Yes! Yes! !No!

WVDA!Licensed!Custom!

Yes! Yes! !No! No! No! !No!

OnMFarm! Yes!

Up!to!20,000!per!year,!with!conditions!




No!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*!Additional!permits!or!licenses!may!be!required.!Check!with!your!local!health!department!and!the!West!Virginia!Department!of!Agriculture!for!more!information.!†!There!are!currently!no!USDAMinspected!processors!in!WV!offering!poultry!processing!to!independent!farmers.!!Farmers!would!have!to!go!out!of!state!to!have!poultry!processed!under!USDA!inspection.!‡!Currently,!there!are!no!slaughterhouses!in!the!state!that!are!offering!commercial!or!custom!poultry!processing.!!

!!!!!! !!

15!

! ! !! !

! ! !!Frequently Asked Questions: Poultry Processing !I"am"looking"for"a"slaughterhouse"and"processor"for"my"poultry.""What"options"are"there?"Currently,!West!Virginia!does!not!have!any!stateMinspected!or!USDAMinspected!poultry!processing!facilities!that!are!open!to!independent!producers.!!Farmers!who!are!processing!poultry!commercially!are!having!it!done!in!neighboring!states.!!Because!the!carcasses!are!being!transported!back!into!West!Virginia!to!be!sold,!these!birds!must!be!processed!in!USDAMinspected!facilities.!!Birds!processed!in!stateMinspected!facilities!in!other!states!(such!as!Ohio!or!Virginia)!cannot!be!sold!in!West!Virginia.!!!!Most!farmers!selling!poultry!in!West!Virginia!are!doing!so!under!the!onMfarm!processing!exemption,!and!are!processing!the!poultry!themselves,!on!their!own!farm.!!How"can"I"be"sure"that"my"poultry"products"will"be"slaughtered"and"processed"only"at"USDA@inspected"facilities?"Ask!the!slaughterhouse!you!use!to!verify!that!they!are!a!USDAMinspected!facility,!and!ask!if!they!do!all!processing!in!the!same!facility.!!If!not,!ask!who!does!their!processing,!and!find!out!if!the!processer!is!USDAMinspected.!!!!!!Can"I"tell"by"looking"at"my"finished"poultry"product"if"it"was"slaughtered"and"processed"in"a"USDA@inspected"facility?"Yes.!Each!slaughterer!or!processor!is!required!to!register!with!USDA!and!receive!an!official!establishment!number.!!When!you!receive!your!product,!make!sure!it!is!stamped!“Inspected!and!Passed”!and!shows!the!official!establishment!number!of!the!slaughterer,!if!the!slaughterer!did!the!processing;!of!the!processor,!if!different!from!the!slaughterer;!or!of!both!the!slaughterer!and!processor.!!Federal!inspection!marks!for!poultry!look!like!this:!!Can"I"sell"my"poultry"product"if"I"use"a"WVDA@licensed,"poultry@approved"commercial"facility?"Currently!no!facilities!in!the!state!are!offering!this!service.!!It!is!possible!that!some!WVDAMlicensed!facilities!might!offer!this!service!in!the!future.!!If!they!did,!the!resulting!product!would!be!eligible!to!be!sold!within!the!state!only.!!Can"I"tell"by"looking"at"my"finished"poultry"product"if"it"was"slaughtered"and"processed"in"a"WVDA@inspected,"poultry@approved"facility?"Again,!there!are!currently!no!WVDAMinspected!commercial!poultry!processing!facilities!in!the!state.!!However,!if!a!new!facility!did!open,!its!WVDA!inspected!poultry!would!bear!this!stamp,!with!the!establishment!number!of!the!slaughterhouse!or!processor!in!place!of!the!digits!“00.”!!Can"I"sell"poultry"that"I"raised"and"slaughtered"myself?"""Yes,!up!to!1,000!birds!per!year.!!You!are!exempt!from!federal!and!state!regulations!if!you!sell!no!more!than!1,000!birds!per!year!raised!and!slaughtered!on!your!own!farm,!provided!you!don’t!buy!or!sell!any!other!poultry!products!and!you!sell!poultry!products!only!within!the!state.!Do"I"need"any"kind"of"license"to"sell"poultry"products?"

!!!!!! !!

16!

Yes.!!You!are!required!to!apply!to!WVDA!for!a!Meat!Distributors!License!if!you!handle!inspected!product.!If!you!only!handle!exempted!poultry!you!are!not!required!to!obtain!a!distributors!license.!!Keep!in!mind!that!you!must!reMapply!if!your!farm!changes!ownership!or!location.!!Are"there"any"special"rules"if"I"want"to"sell"my"product"at"a"farmer’s"market?"Yes,!you!must!apply!to!your!local!Health!Department!for!a!Retail!Food!Permit!to!sell!meat!at!a!farmer’s!market.!!You!must!also!be!sure!that!your!products!are!commercially!slaughtered!and!processed.!!They!must!be!kept!in!cold!holding!equipment!at!a!temperature!of!41!degrees!Fahrenheit!or!less,!and!they!must!be!held,!stored,!and!transported!in!a!clean,!sanitary!environment.!!Do"I"have"to"label"my"product?"Yes,!federal!and!state!law!contain!detailed!labeling!requirements!for!poultry!products.!!These!requirements!include!rules!regarding!size!and!location!of!labels,!name!of!the!manufacturer,!packager!or!distributor,!name!of!the!product,!official!inspection!marks,!dietary!claims,!safe!handling!instructions,!and!when!you!may!use!descriptions!such!as!“100%”!or!“fresh.”!!Your!processor!will!often!be!able!to!help!you!determine!what!should!be!on!your!label.!!!!USDA!requires!that!poultry!processed!under!a!Producer!Grower!or!Producer/Grower!or!Other!Person!Exemption!must!have!a!label!containing!the!processors!name!and!address;!the!statement,!“Exempt!P.L.!90M492;”!and!safe!handling!instructions.!Additional!labeling!requirements!apply!to!operators!processing!under!a!Small!Enterprise!exemption.!Contact!the!WVDA!Meat!&!Poultry!Inspection!Division!or!the!FSIS!Small!Plant!Helpdesk!for!more!information.!!!Do"I"need"to"provide"a"nutrition"label?"In!most!cases!yes,!but!there!are!some!exemptions.!!Small!businesses,!defined!as!business!that!employ!fewer!than!500!people!and!produces!no!more!than!100,000!pounds!of!product,!do!not!have!to!apply!nutrition!labels!except!to!singleMingredient,!raw!poultry!products!or!to!ground!or!chopped!products!that!state!the!lean!and!fat!percentages,!as!long!as!product!labels!do!not!bear!any!nutrition!claims!or!nutrition!information.!!Other!exemptions!also!apply,!such!as!products!intended!for!further!processing,!products!that!are!not!for!sale!to!consumers,!and!products!that!are!custom!slaughtered!or!prepared,!as!long!as!the!labels!do!not!bear!any!nutrition!claims!or!nutrition!information.!!Do"I"have"to"keep"records"if"I"sell"poultry?"Yes,!anyone!who!engages!in!the!business!of!buying!or!selling!poultry!must!keep!certain!records!for!a!period!of!two!years!following!December!31!of!the!year!in!which!the!purchase!or!sale!occurred.!!!

Exempted$Poultry$$!In!2014!the!West!Virginia!Legislature!accepted!a!change!in!state!agriculture!rules!to!allow!farmers!to!slaughter!and!process!up!to!20,000!poultry!on!their!farm!without!birdMbyMbird!inspection!in!a!calendar!year.!The!change!allows!West!Virginia!farmers!to!take!advantage!of!three!longMstanding!federal!poultry!exemption!types.!The!chart!below!outlines!the!basics!of!exemptions;!however!the!WVDA!had!not!set!final!requirements!as!of!the!time!of!publication.!Updated!information!regarding!the!poultry!exemption!will!be!posted!on!the!WV!Food!&!Farm!Coalition!web!site,!at!www.wvhub.org/wvffc,!when!it!becomes!available.!!If!you!intend!to!process!over!1,000!poultry!on!your!farm!in!a!calendar!year!you!should!contact!the!WVDA!Meat!&!Poultry!Inspection!Division!to!confirm!requirements.!!!

!!!!!! !!

17!

!


8400!or!1M800M662M7608.!Small!Plant!Help!Desk:!1M877MFSISMHELP!(1M877M374M7435)!• WVDA!Meat!&!Poultry!Inspection!Division:!(304)!558M2206!• Your!local!Health!Department,!phone!numbers!available!at!

http://www.dhhr.wv.gov/localhealth/pages/map.aspx!!!

Laws$and$regulations:$• Federal!Poultry!Products!Inspection!Act,!21!U.S.C.!§!451!et!seq.!• Federal!Poultry!Products!Inspection!Regulations,!9!C.F.R.!Part!381!• Federal!Regulatory!Requirements!Under!the!Federal!Meat!Inspection!Act!and!the!Poultry!

Products!Inspection!Act,!9!CFR!Parts!416,!417,!424,!430,!441,!442!• Inspection!of!Meat!and!Poultry,!West!Virginia!Code!§!19M2BM1!et!seq.!• Inspection!of!Meat!and!Poultry,!West!Virginia!Legislative!Rule!§!61M16M1!et!seq.!• WV!Food!Establishments!Rule,!WV!Legislative!Rule!64!C.S.R.!17!

!

RABBITS!!Rabbit!processing!is!currently!regulated!in!a!manner!similar!to!red!meats.!!Currently,!all!rabbit!carcasses!that!are!sold!in!WV!must!be!slaughtered!and!processed!in!an!approved!facility.!!There!may!be!future!opportunities!to!change!state!rules!in!order!to!legalize!onMfarm!processing!of!rabbits,!but!currently,!

!!!!!! !!

18!

rabbits!processed!on!the!farm!cannot!be!sold.!!Any!facilities!slaughtering!and!processing!rabbits!for!sale!must!be!inspected!specifically!for!rabbit!processing.!!!! !! Where!Product!Can!Be!Sold*!

!!

!! Personal!Use!



Farmers'!market!


Across!State!Lines!

!!!!!!!!!!Slaug

hter!or!P

rocessing!Locatio

n!

USDA†!Inspected! Yes! Yes!

Yes,!if!approved!for!rabbits!




WVDA‡!Licensed!Commercial! Yes! Yes!




!No!

Custom! Yes! Yes!

Yes,!up!to!1,000!rabbits!per!facility!per!year,!if!approved!for!rabbits!



!No!

OnMFarm! Yes! No! No! No! No! No!!Frequently Asked Questions: Rabbit Processing !I"am"looking"for"a"slaughterhouse"and"processor"for"rabbits.""What"options"are"there?"At!the!time!that!this!guide!was!published,!there!were!no!USDA!and!one!stateMinspected!commercial!processors!offering!rabbit!slaughter!in!processing!in!WV.!!Farmers!who!are!processing!rabbits!commercially!are!having!it!done!in!neighboring!states.!!Because!the!carcasses!are!being!transported!back!into!West!Virginia!to!be!sold,!these!rabbits!must!be!processed!in!USDAMinspected!facilities.!!Rabbits!processed!in!stateMinspected!facilities!in!other!states!(such!as!Ohio!or!Virginia)!cannot!be!sold!in!West!Virginia.!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*!Additional!permits!or!licenses!may!be!required.!Check!with!your!local!health!department!and!the!West!Virginia!Department!of!Agriculture!for!more!information.!†!There!are!currently!no!USDAMinspected!processors!in!WV!offering!rabbit!processing.!!Farmers!would!have!to!go!out!of!state!to!have!rabbits!processed!under!USDA!inspection.!‡!An!inspection!exemption!allows!a!WVDA!custom!facility!to!process!up!to!1,000!rabbits!per!year,!if!it!is!approved!for!rabbits.!Currently!one!slaughterhouse!in!the!state!offers!services!for!rabbit!processing.!!

!!!!!! !!

19!

Can"I"tell"by"looking"at"my"finished"product"if"it"was"slaughtered"and"processed"in"a"USDA@inspected,"rabbit@approved"facility?"Yes.!Each!slaughterer!and!processor!is!required!to!register!with!USDA!!!!and!receive!an!official!establishment!number.!!When!you!receive!your!product,!make!sure!it!is!stamped!“Inspected!and!Passed”!and!shows!the!official!establishment!number!of!the!slaughterer.!!Federal!inspection!marks!for!rabbit!slaughter!look!like!this:!!!!Can"I"sell"my"product"if"I"use"a"WVDA@licensed,"rabbit@approved"commercial"facility?"Currently!no!facilities!in!the!state!are!offering!this!service.!!It!is!possible!that!some!WVDAMlicensed!facilities!might!offer!this!service!in!the!future.!!If!they!did,!the!resulting!product!would!be!eligible!to!be!sold!within!the!state!only.!!!Can"I"tell"by"looking"at"my"finished"product"if"it"was"slaughtered"and"processed"in"a"WVDA@inspected,"rabbit@approved"facility?"Again,!there!are!currently!no!WVDAMinspected!commercial!rabbit!processing!facilities!in!the!state.!!However,!if!a!new!facility!did!open,!their!WVDA!inspected!rabbits!would!bear!this!stamp,!with!the!establishment!number!of!the!slaughterhouse!or!processor!in!place!of!the!digits!“00.”!!!Can"I"sell"my"product"if"I"take"my"rabbits"to"a"custom"slaughterer?"Generally!no,!but!exceptions!and!exemption!apply!and!are!discussed!below.!!Custom!slaughtered!and!processed!animals!are!generally!only!for!the!personal!consumption!of!the!owner!and!his!or!her!nonMpaying!guests.!!Every!custom!slaughtered!or!processed!product!must!be!marked!“NOT!FOR!SALE.”!!Custom!slaughtered!product!must!include!the!following!stamp,!with!the!state!license!number!of!the!facility!in!place!of!the!digits!“00”!!!Can"I"use"a"custom"slaughterer"if"I"sell"rabbits"to"my"CSA"members"before"slaughter?"Probably.!!This!is!not!specifically!mentioned!in!the!laws!and!regulations,!but!WVDA!has!taken!the!position!that!a!producer!may!first!sell!the!animal!to!a!CSA!member,!deliver!the!animal!to!a!custom!slaughterer!or!processor!on!behalf!of!the!CSA!member/owner,!and!then!deliver!the!final!product!to!the!CSA!member/owner.!!If!you!sell!shares!of!animals,!be!sure!you!have!sold!all!shares!before!delivering!the!animal!to!be!slaughtered!or!processed!at!a!custom!facility.!!If!you!plan!to!sell!animals!or!shares!of!animals!to!CSA!members!before!slaughter,!you!may!want!to!contact!WVDA’s!Meat!Products!Inspection!Division!first.!!Can"I"use"a"custom"slaughterer"if"I"only"want"to"slaughter"a"small"number"of"rabbits?"Yes,!up!to!a!certain!limit.!!Any!rabbitMapproved,!WVDAMlicensed!custom!establishment!may!slaughter!up!to!1,000!rabbits!per!year!total.!!These!rabbits!may!be!sold!in!the!same!channels!as!rabbits!slaughtered!at!a!WVDAMlicensed,!rabbitMapproved!commercial!facility.!!Can"I"sell"product"from"animals"that"I"have"slaughtered"myself?"

!!!!!! !!

20!

No,!federal!and!state!regulations!do!not!permit!sales!of!rabbits!unless!they!are!slaughtered!and!processed!at!a!federal!or!state!facility.!!You!may!use!onMfarm!slaughtered!rabbits!only!for!personal!consumption.!!WVDA!and!the!Meat!Working!Group!are!currently!working!with!lawmakers!to!create!an!allowance!in!the!regulations!for!exempted,!onMfarm!rabbit!slaughter!!Do"I"need"any"kind"of"license"to"sell"rabbit"products?"Yes.!!You!are!required!to!apply!to!WVDA!for!a!distributor’s!license.!!Keep!in!mind!that!you!must!reMapply!if!your!farm!changes!ownership!or!location.!!Can"I"store"commercially@slaughtered"products"for"sale,"and"also"custom@slaughtered"products"that"I"only"intend"to"consume"myself?"Yes,!but!custom!products!must!at!all!times!be!kept!completely!separate!from!products!intended!for!sale.!!If!you!are!not!sure!if!your!storage!facilities!would!be!considered!completely!separate,!contact!WVDA’s!Meat!Products!Inspection!Division.!!Are"there"any"special"rules"if"I"want"to"sell"my"product"at"a"farmer’s"market?"Yes,!you!must!apply!to!your!local!Health!Department!for!a!Retail!Food!Permit!to!sell!meat!at!a!farmers!market.!!You!must!also!be!sure!that!your!products!are!commercially!slaughtered!and!processed.!!They!must!be!kept!in!cold!holding!equipment!at!a!temperature!of!41!degrees!Fahrenheit!or!less,!and!they!must!be!held,!stored,!and!transported!in!a!clean,!sanitary!environment.!!Do"I"have"to"label"my"products?"Other!than!official!inspection!stamps,!there!are!no!specific!legal!requirements!for!labeling!of!rabbit!products.!!Your!processor!may!be!able!to!help!you!determine!what!you!should!include!on!a!label.!!!Do"I"have"to"keep"records"if"I"sell"rabbit"products?"There!is!no!specific!legal!requirement!to!keep!records!for!the!sale!of!animal!products.!!As!a!precaution,!however,!it!may!be!advisable!to!retain!records!for!a!period!of!two!years!following!December!31!of!the!year!in!which!the!purchase!or!sale!occurred.!!


8400!or!1M800M662M7608!• WVDA!Meat!Products!Inspection!Division,!(304)!558M2206!• Your!local!Health!Department,!phone!numbers!available!at!


Laws$and$Regulations:$• Federal!Regulations!on!Inspection!of!Rabbits!and!Edible!Products!Thereof,!9!C.F.R.!Part!354!• Production!of!Nontraditional!Agriculture!Products,!West!Virginia!Code!§!19M29M1!et!seq.!• Inspection!of!Nontraditional,!Domesticated!Animals,!West!Virginia!Legislative!Rule!§!61M23DM1!et!

seq.!• WV!Food!Establishments!Rule,!WV!Legislative!Rule!64!C.S.R.!17!

!!

!!!!!! !!

21!

OTHER!NONETRADITIONAL,!DOMESTICATED!ANIMALS![INCLUDING!REINDEER,!ELK,!ANTELOPE,!WATER!BUFFALO,!BISON]!!According!to!the!USDA!FSIS!rules!regarding!meat!processing,!these!species!are!considered!“nonMamenable,”!which!means!they!fall!under!the!jurisdiction!of!state!rather!than!federal!regulations.!!This!means!that!stateMinspected!meats!can!be!sold!across!state!lines—USDA!inspection!is!not!needed!for!interstate!sales.!!However,!facilities!processing!these!meats!for!sale!must!be!licensed!specifically!to!process!exotic!animals.!!!! !! Where!Product!Can!Be!Sold*!

!!

!! Personal!Use!



Farmers'!market!


Across!State!Lines!

!!!!!!Slau

ghter!o

r!Processing!Locatio

n!

USDA!Inspected! Yes! Yes!

Yes,!if!official!exotic!animal!establishment!




WVDA!Licensed!

Yes! Yes!




Subject!to!state!requirements†!

Custom! Yes! Yes! No! No! No!!

Subject!to!state!requirements!

OnMFarm! Yes! No! No! No! No!

Subject!to!state!requirements!

! Frequently Asked Questions: Non-Traditional Animals "I"am"looking"for"a"slaughterhouse"and"processor"for"non@traditional"domesticated"livestock.""What"options"are"there?"USDA!recognizes!certain!“official!exotic!animal!establishments”!that!are!permitted!to!request!USDA!inspection!and!approval!for!slaughter!of!reindeer,!elk,!antelope,!water!buffalo,!and!bison.!!WVDA!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*!Additional!permits!or!licenses!may!be!required.!Check!with!your!local!health!department!and!the!West!Virginia!Department!of!Agriculture!for!more!information.!†!Contact!WVDA!Meat!&!Poultry!Inspection!Division!regarding!requirements!for!nonMtraditional!species!as!state!inspected!facilities!and!on!your!farm.!!

!!!!!! !!

22!

permits!slaughter!in!WVDAMinspected!commercial!facilities!of!these!and!any!other!type!of!nontraditional!animal!domesticated!from!wild!stock,!either!native!or!nonnative,!except!whiteMtailed!deer.!!A!WVDAMlicensed!commercial!slaughterhouse!may!slaughter!nontraditional!domesticated!animals!as!well!as!cattle,!swine,!sheep,!and!goats,!but!slaughter!and!processing!operations!must!be!separated!in!time!or!space,!and!carcasses!of!nontraditional,!domesticated!animals!and!products!derived!from!them!must!be!kept!physically!separated!and!properly!identified!to!avoid!any!possibility!of!commingling!products.!!!"Do"I"have"to"use"a"USDA@inspected"slaughterhouse?"No,!nonamenable!species!subject!to!the!requirements!of!the!state!where!the!product!is!shipped.!!Can"I"tell"by"looking"at"my"finished"product"if"it"was"slaughtered"and"processed"in"a"USDA@inspected,"official"exotic"animal"establishment?"Yes.!Each!slaughterer!and!processor!is!required!to!register!with!USDA!and!receive!an!official!establishment!number.!!When!you!receive!your!product,!make!sure!it!is!stamped!“Inspected!and!Passed”!and!shows!the!official!establishment!number!of!the!slaughterer.!!Federal!inspection!marks!for!slaughter!at!an!official!exotic!animal!establishment!look!like!this:!!Can"I"sell"my"product"if"I"use"a"WVDA@licensed"commercial"slaughterhouse?"Yes.!!You!can!sell!your!product!to!any!customer!within!the!state!if!you!use!a!stateMlicensed!slaughterhouse.!!This!includes!sales!to!restaurants,!schools!and!other!institutions,!and!sales!through!CSAs!and!farmer’s!markets.!!You!cannot!sell!your!product!across!state!lines.!!Can"I"tell"by"looking"at"my"finished"product"if"it"was"slaughtered"and"processed"in"a"WVDA@inspected"commercial"facility?"Yes.!!West!Virginia!inspected!meats!will!bear!this!stamp,!with!the!establishment!number!of!the!slaughterhouse!or!processor!in!place!of!the!digits!“00”!!!Can"I"take"my"nontraditional,"domesticated"livestock"to"a"custom"slaughterhouse"or"slaughter"them"myself?"No.!!State!law!requires!that!all!nontraditional,!domesticated!animals!be!slaughtered!in!a!commercial!slaughterhouse.!!Can"I"have"pre@slaughter"inspection"done"at"my"farm?"Yes.!!In!order!to!be!marked!as!inspected!and!passed,!exotic!animals!must!be!subject!to!anteMmortem!inspection.!!This!may!be!done!at!the!farm,!in!a!transport!vehicle,!or!at!the!slaughterhouse.!!To!have!anteMmortem!inspections!done!at!your!farm,!you!must!apply!for!approval!from!the!Regional!Director!of!USDA’s!Food!Safety!and!Inspection!Service!of!a!designated!area!of!your!farm!for!anteMmortem!inspections.!"Do"I"need"any"kind"of"license"to"sell"nontraditional,"domesticated"animal"products?"Yes.!!You!are!required!to!apply!to!WVDA!for!a!distributor’s!license.!!Keep!in!mind!that!you!must!reMapply!if!your!farm!changes!ownership!or!location.!!Are"there"any"special"rules"if"I"want"to"sell"my"product"at"a"farmer’s"market?"

!!!!!! !!

23!

Yes,!you!must!apply!to!your!local!Health!Department!for!a!license!to!sell!meat!at!a!farmer’s!market.!!You!must!also!be!sure!that!your!products!are!commercially!slaughtered!and!processed.!!They!must!be!kept!in!cold!holding!equipment!at!a!temperature!of!41!degrees!Fahrenheit!or!less,!and!they!must!be!held,!stored,!and!transported!in!a!clean,!sanitary!environment.!Do"I"have"to"label"my"products?"Other!than!official!inspection!stamps,!there!are!no!specific!legal!requirements!for!labeling!of!exotic!animal!products.!!Your!processor!may!be!able!to!help!you!determine!what!you!should!include!on!a!label.!!!Do"I"have"to"keep"records"if"I"sell"exotic"animal"products?"Yes,!anyone!who!engages!in!the!business!of!buying!or!selling!exotic!animal!products!must!keep!certain!records!for!a!period!of!two!years!following!December!31!of!the!year!in!which!the!purchase!or!sale!occurred.!!


8400!or!1M800M662M7608!• WVDA!Meat!Products!Inspection!Division,!(304)!558M2206!• Your!local!Health!Department,!phone!numbers!available!at!


Laws$and$Regulations:$• Federal!Regulations!on!Exotic!Animals!and!Horses;!Voluntary!Inspection,!9!C.F.R.!Part!352!• Production!of!Nontraditional!Agriculture!Products,!West!Virginia!Code!§!19M29M1!et!seq.!• Inspection!of!Nontraditional,!Domesticated!Animals,!West!Virginia!Legislative!Rule!§!61M23DM1!et!

seq.!• WV!Food!Establishments!Rule,!WV!Legislative!Rule!64!C.S.R.!17!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!! !!

24!

!!!!!!EGGS!

Although!eggs!are!not!classified!as!meat,!producers!who!have!questions!about!meat!often!also!have!questions!about!eggs.!!Egg!sales!fall!under!the!jurisdiction!of!the!WV!Department!of!Agriculture.!!Contact!your!local!health!department!to!determine!if!a!permit!is!required!to!sell!eggs.!!" Where!Product!Can!Be!Sold!" Personal!Use! CSA! Farmers’!Market! Restaurants,!

Schools,!Other!Institutions!

Across!State!Lines!

WVDA!Registered!Distributor*!

"Yes!

!Yes!

!Yes!

!Yes!

!Yes,!if!flock!of!less!than!3,000!hens!!

""Frequently Asked Questions: Eggs "Do"I"need"a"license"to"sell"eggs"in"West"Virginia?"Yes.!!Anyone!producing!eggs!from!her!own!flock!and!marketing!any!portion!of!those!eggs!on!a!graded!basis!must!apply!to!West!Virginia!Department!of!Agriculture!(WVDA)!for!an!“Egg!Distributor!Permit”!at!least!30!days!prior!to!distributing!eggs.!!Are"there"any"applicable"fees?"Yes,!the!normal!fee!is!$10!per!year!for!an!Egg!Distributor!Permit.!!There!is!also!an!inspection!fee!of!8!cents!per!30!dozen!cases!of!eggs!distributed.!!!!I"only"plan"to"sell"a"small"number"of"eggs.""Are"there"any"exemptions"from"these"fees?"Yes.!!Anyone!marketing!150!dozen!eggs!or!less!per!week!of!his!own!production!is!considered!a!small!producer.!!Small!producers!must!register!with!WVDA!on!a!form!they!provide,!but!are!exempt!from!permit!and!inspection!fees.!!Are"there"required"labels"for"egg"cartons?"Yes.!!Small!producers!must!label!cartons!with!(a)!the!name!and!address!of!the!responsible!person!or!business!producing!and!selling!the!eggs;!(b)!the!date!the!eggs!are!packed;!and!(c)!the!words!“Ungraded!Eggs”!in!print!of!at!least!5/8”.!!Other!labeling!requirements!apply!to!any!distributors!who!are!not!small!producers.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*!Additional!permits!or!licenses!may!be!required.!Check!with!your!local!health!department!and!the!West!Virginia!Department!of!Agriculture!for!more!information.!

!!!!!! !!

25!

Are"there"any"other"requirements"for"handling"of"eggs"for"sale?"Yes.!!For!small!producers,!eggs!must!be!washed!in!an!acceptable!and!sanitary!manner!before!packing.!!Eggs!must!be!transported,!stored,!or!displayed!at!a!temperature!of!45!degrees!Fahrenheit!or!less!(but!above!freezing)!unless!the!transport!period!is!less!than!three!hours.!!They!may!be!packed!in!marked!cartons!as!long!as!the!distributor’s!name,!address,!expiration!date,!size,!and!grade!are!marked!out!and!replaced!with!the!label!required!for!small!producers.!!Eggs!must!be!clean!and!free!of!odor!or!debris.!!They!may!be!marked!“fresh”!only!when!they!meet!the!minimum!requirements!of!Grade!A!or!higher!set!by!the!USDA,!and!no!eggs!sold!shall!be!below!U.S.!Consumer!Grade!B.!!Can"I"sell"loose"eggs?"Yes,!but!you!must!display!a!placard!on!or!near!the!eggs!that!displays!grade!and!size!of!eggs,!name!or!packer!or!distributor,!and!address.!!The!placard!must!be!at!least!4!½!x!6!inches,!and!the!lettering!must!be!at!least!3/8”!in!height.!!Are"there"any"requirements"for"advertising"eggs"for"sale?"Yes.!!For!all!eggs!advertised!or!displayed!for!sale!for!human!food!at!a!given!price,!you!must!designate!the!correct!grade!and!size!on!the!exterior!of!the!container.!!No!eggs!may!be!advertised!or!labeled!with!claims!of!unusual!quality!or!superiority!unless!a!statement!of!proof!is!submitted!to!WVDA!or!confirmed!by!inspection.!!I"would"like"to"sell"eggs"across"state"lines.""Do"I"have"to"comply"with"federal"inspection"and"food"safety"rules?"If!you!are!a!small!producer,!you!probably!do!not!have!to!comply!with!federal!inspection!and!food!safety!rules.!USDA!inspection!rules!do!not!apply!to!shell!egg!producers!with!fewer!than!3,000!laying!hens,!although!you!may!be!required!to!keep!certain!specified!records.!!FDA!food!safety!rules!do!not!apply!to!shell!egg!producers!with!fewer!than!3,000!laying!hens!at!a!particular!farm!that!sell!all!of!their!eggs!directly!to!consumers.!!Larger!producers!must!comply!with!federal!inspection!and!food!safety!laws.!!Who"can"I"contact"for"more"information?!

• USDA!Food!and!Drug!Administration,!!• WVDA!Meat!Products!Inspection!Division,!(304)!558M2206!• Your!local!Health!Department;!phone!numbers!available!at!

http://www.dhhr.wv.gov/localhealth/pages/map.aspx!!!Laws"and"Regulations"

• Federal!Egg!Products!Inspection!Act,!21!U.S.C.!§!1031!et!seq.!• Federal!Egg!Products!Inspection!Act!Regulations,!7!C.F.R.!Part!57!• West!Virginia!Egg!Marketing!Law!of!1988,!W.V.!Code!§!19M10AM1!et!seq.!• West!Virginia!Marketing!of!Eggs!Rule,!W.V.!Legislative!Rule!61M7AM1!• WV!Food!Establishments!Rule,!WV!Legislative!Rule!64!C.S.R.!17!

!!!!Glossary/Definitions!!

Taken!from!West!Virginia!Code!§19M2BM2!unless!otherwise!noted.!!!

!!!!!! !!

26!

COMMERCIAL!SLAUGHTERER:!A!person!engaged!for!profit!in!the!business!of!slaughtering!animals!or!poultry!for!human!consumption!which!are!to!be!sold!or!offered!for!sale!through!a!commercial!outlet!or!establishment.*!!CUSTOM!SLAUGHTERER:!A!person!engaged!for!profit!in!the!business!of!slaughtering!animals!or!poultry!for!human!consumption!which!are!not!to!be!sold!or!offered!for!sale!through!a!commercial!outlet,!commercial!establishment,!distributor,!or!to!an!individual.!!SLAUGHTERHOUSE:!Including,!but!is!not!limited!to,!all!buildings,!structures!and!facilities!used!in!the!slaughtering!of!animals!or!poultry!for!human!consumption.!!DISTRIBUTOR:!A!business!where!carcasses,!meat!products,!or!poultry!products!are!received!from!state!or!federally!inspected!commercial!establishments,!and!who!stores!and!distributes!to!commercial!outlets,!processors!or!individuals.!Distributors!conduct!no!processing.!!PROCESSOR:!A!person!who!engages!for!profit!in!West!Virginia!in!the!business!of!processing!carcasses,!meat!products!or!poultry!products!for!human!consumption.!!COMMERCIAL!PROCESSOR:!A!processor!for!commercial!outlets!or!distributors!and!shall!include!the!business!of!custom!processing.!!CUSTOM!PROCESSOR:!A!processor!in!which!the!carcass,!meat!products!or!poultry!products!derived!through!processing!cannot!be!sold!or!offered!for!sale!through!a!commercial!outlet,!commercial!establishment,!distributor,!or!to!an!individual.!!PROCESS:!To!cut!up,!bone,!chop,!mix,!grind,!slice,!cook,!smoke,!cure,!salt,!marinate,!dry,!can,!or!otherwise!manufacture,!or!package!any!meat!product!or!poultry!product.!!PROCESSING!PLANT:!Including,!but!is!not!limited!to,!all!buildings,!structures,!chill!rooms,!aging!rooms,!processing!rooms,!sanitary!facilities,!other!facilities,!and!utensils,!used!by!or!in!connection!with!the!operations!of!a!processor.!!ESTABLISHMENT:!under!West!Virginia!meat!and!poultry!law!means!any!slaughterhouse,!processing!plant!or!distributor!in!West!Virginia.!!ESTABLISHMENT!NUMBER:!An!official!number!assigned!by!the!commissioner!to!each!establishment!and!included!on!the!inspection!legend!and!label!to!identify!all!inspected!and!passed!carcasses,!meat!product!or!poultry!product!handled!in!that!establishment.!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*!taken!from!W.V.!Code!§!19M2BM2,!Inspection!of!Meat!and!Poultry!

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27!

Local,!State,!Federal,!and!Other!Resources!and!Contacts!!West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) !MEAT!&!POULTRY!INSPECTION!DIVISION!is!responsible!for!the!inspection!of!meat!processing!facilities!in!the!state,!as!well!as!issuing!licenses!for!the!processing!and!sale!of!meat!products!and!eggs.!WVDA!should!be!a!producer’s!first!stop!for!questions!regarding!meat!slaughter!and!processing!requirements:!Office:!304M558M2206;!304M558M2207!Web!site:!!http://www.wvagriculture.org/Division_Webpages/meat_poultry.html!!DIVISION!OF!ANIMAL!HEALTH!offers!resources!aimed!at!preventing!disease!in!animals!and!poultry:!Charleston/Guthrie:!304M558M2214!Moorefield:!304M538M2397!Web!site:!!http://www.wvagriculture.org/Division_Webpages/animal_health.html! Local Health Departments !When!selling!any!food!product!your!local,!county,!or!regional!health!department!is!the!first!place!to!start.!For an up-to-date list of local Health Departments throughout the state, visit: www.wvdhhr.org/phs/LHD.pdf ! WV Bureau for Public Health, Office of Environmental Health Services, Public Health Sanitation Division To!download!the!Farmers!Market!Vendor!Guide!and!view!other!statewide!food!safety!standards!that!are!followed!by!local!health!departments,!visit:!www.wvdhhr.org/phs/food!!Public!Health!Sanitation!Division!Office:!(304)!558M2981!!USDA Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) http://www.fsis.usda.gov!!FSIS"District"80"office"in"Raleigh,"NC"serves"West"Virginia"processors:"Phone:!(919)!844M8400!or!1M800M662M7608!"FSIS"has"also"set"up"a"helpdesk"for"small"and"very"small"plants:"Need!immediate!assistance?!!Contact!the!Small!Plant!Help!Desk!!Phone:!1M877MFSISMHELP!(1M877M374M7435)!Email:[email protected]!Web!site:!!http://www.fsis.usda.gov !Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network (NMPAN) NMPAN!offers!information!and!resources!for!small!processors!and!producers:!!

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Web!site:!!http://www.nichemeatprocessing.org/!!!

Acknowledgements!DEVELOPMENT!TEAM!!WV!Food!and!Farm!Coalition!Brandon!W.!Holmes,!Policy!Analyst!Savanna!Lyons,!Director!Emeritus!&!Consultant!Nadine!Perry,!Chair,!Meat!Working!Group;!Partner,!Black!Oak!Holler!Farm!Elizabeth!Spellman,!Executive!Director!!West!Virginia!University!College!of!Law!Alison!Peck,!Associate!Professor!of!Law!Harrison!Cyrus,!Research!Assistant!!

ADVISORY!&!REVIEW!TEAM!Dr.!Robert!Pitts,!Division!Director!of!Meat!Inspection,!West!Virginia!Dept.!of!Agriculture!!Jean!Smith,!Division!Director,!Marketing!&!Development,!West!Virginia!Dept.!of!Agriculture!Kelly!Crane,!Executive!Director,!West!Virginia!Farmers!Market!Association!!Brad!Cochran,!R.S.,!Director,!Office!of!Environmental!Health!Services,!WV!Bureau!for!Public!Health,!Public!Health!Sanitation!Division!Jennifer!Williams,!Program!Director,!Agriculture!&!Natural!Resources!Program,!West!Virginia!University!Extension!Service!!!

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a west virginia producer’s guide to processing & marketing meat &...

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