Buying Local Meat in Montana: Consumer Options

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IN RECENT YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN INCREASING interest in purchasing local meat products. Consumers seek local products at grocers, restaurants, farmer’s markets, and directly from farmers and ranchers. There has also been interest in local meat from commercial and institutional buyers such as distributors, schools, hospitals, food banks, and others across Montana. We define local meat as meat that was raised and processed in your local geographic area. For most consumers, this will mean that the animal was born, raised, and processed in Montana, however some consumers living near a bordering state may have out-of- state components to their local meat supply chain.

While demand for local meat was growing steadily, the COVID-19 pandemic further increased demand. Disruptions to larger out-of-state processing plants caused limited selection or even lack of product availability at some grocers for several weeks in 2020. During this time, some consumers turned to local sources in search of meat products. In 2020 and 2021, Montana meat processors reported full schedules for slaughter and processing for the next 12 to 24 months. The long-term effect of this increased interest in local meat is unknown at the time of publication.

Regardless of the reasons for their interest in local meat, consumers may be unsure about basic food safety rules and regulations. This publication seeks to present an overview of local meat production and processing for consumers.

What do I need to know about buying meat from different types of processors in Montana?

HOME SLAUGHTER AND PROCESSING: There is a long tradition of on-farm slaughter of livestock in Montana. The rancher or farmer slaughters the animal on-farm or -ranch, and then processes and packages the meat in a home facility or kitchen. Meat from these practices is not legal for direct, wholesale, nor retail sales. It can be gifted and shared, but not sold.

CUSTOM EXEMPT PROCESSING: Custom slaughter represents the majority of local meat processed in Montana (Montana Agricultural Statistics 2018–2020). In this case, animals are slaughtered and processed by a professional based on the client’s specific needs. Meat packaged is labeled with the disclaimer “not for sale.” In Montana, a custom exempt facility does have an initial facility inspection prior to operation and additional inspections at least twice a year by the Montana Department of Livestock Meat and Poultry Inspection Bureau. However, animals processed by a custom exempt facility are not slaughtered under inspection*. A typical customer will deliver a live animal to the processor; the meat products are intended for later personal use by the animal owner.

The caveat is a situation where a consumer may buy a live animal, or share of an animal, from a livestock producer, and then pay to have it slaughtered and processed to their specifications at a custom exempt establishment. This meat is still labeled “not for sale.” This is a marketing relationship where the consumer gets custom processed meat for their use by purchasing or investing in a live animal. In such situations, the consumer/client does not actually have to take possession of the live animal. They are technically not buying meat, but a whole or share of an animal, and then paying for custom processing separately.

Custom Exempt Processing Facilities in Montana:  https://liv.mt.gov/Meat-Milk-Inspection/Meat-and-Poultry-Inspection/

* Note: custom exempt processing does follow much of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) such as humane slaughter rules and guidelines, sanitation procedures, and construction recommendations and requirements (related to food safety).

STATE INSPECTION CERTIFICATION: The Montana Department of Livestock is the state agency responsible for inspections of state-certified slaughter and processing facilities in Montana; this allows livestock owners, or the processor themselves to sell the inspected and labelled meat products directly to consumers as well as wholesale to commercial clients (grocers, restaurants, etc.) An official establishment (processing facility) that has a state grant of inspection will have state inspectors present in the facility on established slaughter and processing days. They will be present throughout the entire slaughter process and will complete both a live animal inspection and a post-mortem carcass inspection. The state inspectors also monitor facility sanitation, humane animal handling practices at the facility, safe and secure animal holding pens and facilities, and conduct various tissue and product samples for residual drug, pathogen, or microbiological contamination.

There are rules and requirements about the proper labeling and tracking of meat products processed through facilities that carry a state inspection certification. To ensure accuracy of labeling, a label review process for producers is available for those who wish to develop their own personalized product label on the finished retail packages of meat.

Products from animals slaughtered and processed at state-inspected facilities can be sold directly to the consumers (from the farm/ranch or meat depot*) and through retail outlets (grocers or convenience stores), or farmer’s markets. Products may also be sold to restaurants or caterers for preparation for sale to the final consumer, to institutions such as schools and hospitals, or to in-state wholesalers/distributors. Meat products produced at a certified state-inspected facility cannot be sold outside of Montana. Once purchased, consumers may transport as they please, even across state lines. From a safety standpoint, state inspection is considered equal to federal inspection. Montana is privileged to have a strong state inspection program; only about half of U.S. states have state inspection programs.

Link to State-Inspected Processing Facilities in Montana: https://liv.mt.gov/Meat-Milk-Inspection/Meat-and-Poultry-Inspection/

*Note: A meat depot is a state-licensed facility where meat or poultry, meat or poultry food products, or meat or poultry by-products, capable for use as human food and intended for sale, are stored.

FEDERAL INSPECTION CERTIFICATION: The United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety Inspection Service (USDA FSIS) also inspects and certifies slaughter and processing facilities in Montana. These processing facilities and inspections are similar to the inspections and certifications carried out by the Montana Department of Livestock. The key difference is that products processed in a Federally-Inspected Processing Facility can be transported and sold across state lines (interstate commerce).

Link to Federal list: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/inspection/mpi-directory

COUNTY SANITARIAN LICENSE: Each county government may have rules and regulations that govern the storing, further processing, and sale of processed meat goods within their county, in addition to the processor inspections offered through the Montana Department of Livestock and USDA FSIS. Local meat and butcher shops, including those inside grocers, will have some level of local oversight. Generally, local health departments (sanitarians) inspect retail establishments and focus on issues that influence retail product safety.

Additionally, there may be regulations and requirements for farm stands, farmer’s market stands, retail-to-consumer outlets, meat depots, transportation of meat products, and other activities that govern the sale of meat products at the local level. The rules, requirements, and permitting process and possible fees may vary by county. Contact your county sanitarian for additional information about the licensing and permitting process in your county. All retail meat and meat products must originate under inspection by Montana Department of Livestock or USDA-FSIS.

MOVEMENT OF CARCASSES AND MEAT BETWEEN BUSINESSES: Sometimes, a carcass, primal cuts, or meat products are sold to a different business for further processing before wholesale or retail sales. In these cases, the original inspection status cannot be elevated during further processing. For example, a carcass slaughtered under state inspection can go to another state inspected processor or a further processor, such as a butcher shop (under local health department or sanitarian inspection) for additional processing (portion cutting, curing, smoking, etc.) before sale. The meat of state-inspected origin must still stay within the state. It could not go to a USDA-inspected facility for further processing and then be marketed across state lines.

Additionally, if a state-inspected processor purchased USDA-inspected meat and further processed that meat, it would only be saleable within the state because a portion of the processing occurred at a state-inspected facility. The meat would no longer be saleable across state lines. A final example is that a sausage maker that purchases USDA-inspected pork and beef from out-of-state, then flavors, cases, smokes, and packages under USDA inspection of their further processing. USDA-inspected status is maintained for all processes and they may sell their products in- or out-of-state.

INSPECTION STAMP AND GRADING: Consumers may be curious about inspection stamps and labels. While carcasses are literally stamped after passing inspection with food safe dye, consumers mostly encounter the printed version on inspected meat labels. This is also called the inspection “bug” or “shield.” The bug includes the inspecting agency abbreviation and usually a processing facility identification (some large processors with multiple premises may have a more generic inspection stamp; they internally manage traceability to exact premises).

Table 1. Common Local Meat Pathways or Supply Chains that Consumers May Encounter

*No routine slaughter inspection, though facilities are inspected as described in the narrative section, “Custom Exempt Processing Facilities in Montana,” above.

Grading is a narrow measure of quality, is not a requirement, and has nothing to do with food safety. Most commonly seen on some beef, lamb, and pork, grading is based on a variety of muscular attributes, including location and patterns of fat deposition. Grading is most associated with USDA inspected plants, because only a USDA grader can confer a quality grade. Local meat may be graded, but usually is not. To be clear, local meat may be of high quality but is simply not graded. Visit USDA (http://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards) for more information on quality and grades for a variety of meat and food products.

Summary

While the rules and combinations of scenarios can become confusing, consumers will most often purchase local meat for home preparation or consumption from one of three pathways. One is by purchasing an animal or animal share from a farmer or rancher and paying a processor for custom cutting and packaging. A second is through direct sales from a rancher, processor or niche meat company via farmer’s markets, online sales, or farm or ranch stands. The third is from a retail outlet such as grocers or convenience stores. In the second and third pathways, state or federal inspection will be required, as the products are being sold retail to end consumers. Local meat may also be available at restaurants and institutions like schools and hospitals. This meat is also required to be inspected at the state or federal level (Table 1). outlines the information and common pathways discussed in this publication.

On the next page are examples of some of the pathways between farms/ranches, processors, and consumers. This is not an exhaustive list and there are other scenarios.

Note: End consumer buys the animal or an animal share from the producer and pays processor for custom cutting and packaging.