# Selling meat



## ClintDowns

Hello to all. I was just thinking today and I was may be wanting to make up some cards and maybe putting my rabbitry on the back of my truck window. If I am selling rabbit meat do I meet to be certified with the USDA or something like that. 

Just wondering. Please ad your thought.


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## SuburbanFarmChic

The way to get around that is you sell the rabbit live and provide butchering as a free service.  

If you are selling straight up meat.. then yes, it needs to have the USDA stamp unless you are offering it for pet use I believe.  Your state may vary on regs for pet use products.


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## quiltnchik

SuburbanFarmChic said:
			
		

> The way to get around that is you sell the rabbit live and provide butchering as a free service.
> 
> If you are selling straight up meat.. then yes, it needs to have the USDA stamp unless you are offering it for pet use I believe.  Your state may vary on regs for pet use products.


Check your state laws.  Some states mandate that you cannot provide any type of butchering service.  Better to be safe than sorry.


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## SheepGirl

Don't know about Texas, but here's info on Maryland's Poultry and Rabbit Program.

I'm sure if you call your state Ag department they will be able to give you an answer as all states are different.


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## hydroswiftrob

ClintDowns said:
			
		

> Hello to all. I was just thinking today and I was may be wanting to make up some cards and maybe putting my rabbitry on the back of my truck window. If I am selling rabbit meat do I meet to be certified with the USDA or something like that.
> 
> Just wondering. Please ad your thought.


When you find out a legit answer, let me know. I am not that far from you and have been wondering the same thing. If I find out anything, I will let you know.


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## SuburbanFarmChic

quiltnchik said:
			
		

> SuburbanFarmChic said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The way to get around that is you sell the rabbit live and provide butchering as a free service.
> 
> If you are selling straight up meat.. then yes, it needs to have the USDA stamp unless you are offering it for pet use I believe.  Your state may vary on regs for pet use products.
> 
> 
> 
> Check your state laws.  Some states mandate that you cannot provide any type of butchering service.  Better to be safe than sorry.
Click to expand...

Yeah, meant to phrase that differently to indicate to check for both.  In WV if you are processing under 1000 a year you can process and sell but need to keep track of your own everything and you are recorded but not inspected. Something like that.


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## ClintDowns

Thanks to all. I am still trying to find "Texas" specific.


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## AZ Rabbits

Selling rabbit meat for human consumption gets pricey with inspections and legal requirements (varying from state to state of course). That's why very few do it.

One suggestions would be to find a local butcher shop and see if they want to do a joint venture with you. You could use their facility, license, etc and share some of the profits. Just a thought...


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## smiles-n-sunshine

SuburbanFarmChic said:
			
		

> The way to get around that is you sell the rabbit live and provide butchering as a free service.
> 
> If you are selling straight up meat.. then yes, it needs to have the USDA stamp unless you are offering it for pet use I believe.  Your state may vary on regs for pet use products.


X2!  Last year I brought live rabbits to our farmers market one week, and delivered dressed rabbits the following week.  Word got around, and now I have repeat customers and usually have a waiting list.

My understanding is the USDA does not require inspection of rabbit meat.  I keep one of these with me:  http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Rabbit_from_Farm_to_Table/index.asp 

Being curious, I searched the Texas Department of Agriculture site, and rabbits did not come up.


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## AZ Rabbits

smiles-n-sunshine said:
			
		

> My understanding is the USDA does not require inspection of rabbit meat.


I think it depends. Some locations, according to my understanding, is that both USDA and FDA may require inspections. Some do not. If it does, the costs are so great that it makes it near impossible to sell meat and make a profit.


			
				smiles-n-sunshine said:
			
		

> Being curious, I searched the Texas Department of Agriculture site, and rabbits did not come up.


I think that's part of the problem. There is a lack of "rules and regulations" from the departments that interpretation can swing both ways... both extremely over-regulated and then without any clear regulations at all. And when they do clearly define the regulations, it will bite us in the backside. But without it, it's hard to do anything safely. It's almost a catch 22.

I think if you were to have a small underground market of friends and associates, that would be the only realistic market in many areas. It's a delicate area, for sure...


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## Snowfie

Also keep in mind that you don't have to just sell rabbits for human consumption.  There's a market of people who give their dogs/cats/reptiles "raw food" diets that will be happy to buy fresh rabbit meat (or in the case of reptiles, whole rabbit carcases)

You'd probably want to label any packages NFHC (Not for human consumption) to cover yourself.


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## smiles-n-sunshine

Great idea, *Snowfie*.  I enjoy making yogurt out of NFHC goat milk, myself.


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## oneacrefarm

smiles-n-sunshine said:
			
		

> SuburbanFarmChic said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The way to get around that is you sell the rabbit live and provide butchering as a free service.
> 
> If you are selling straight up meat.. then yes, it needs to have the USDA stamp unless you are offering it for pet use I believe.  Your state may vary on regs for pet use products.
> 
> 
> 
> X2!  Last year I brought live rabbits to our farmers market one week, and delivered dressed rabbits the following week.  Word got around, and now I have repeat customers and usually have a waiting list.
> 
> My understanding is the USDA does not require inspection of rabbit meat.  I keep one of these with me:  http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Rabbit_from_Farm_to_Table/index.asp
> 
> Being curious, I searched the Texas Department of Agriculture site, and rabbits did not come up.
Click to expand...

It is not on the TDA site, it is in the Texas Administrative Code for the State Health Department.....Here is what you are looking for

http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub...=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=25&pt=1&ch=221&rl=12

Here is the part that is applicable:

*(19) Grant of custom exemption-*-An authorization from the department to engage in a business of custom slaughtering and/or processing livestock for the owner of the livestock for the owner's personal use.

*(20) Grant of inspection--*An authorization from the department to engage in a business subject to inspection under the Act.

*(21) Grant of poultry/rabbit exemption-*-An authorization from the department for a person to engage in a very low volume business of slaughtering and processing poultry or rabbits of his/her own raising on his/her own property and personally distributing the carcasses and/or parts, to retail consumers, restaurants, or other retail establishments, provided that the following conditions are met:
*(A) the person slaughters less than 10,000 poultry, rabbits, or a combination thereof, in a calendar year;
    (B) the person does not buy and sell other poultry or rabbit products (except live chicks, baby rabbits, and/or breeding stock);
    (C) only sound, healthy poultry or rabbits are slaughtered and all processes and handling are conducted under sanitary standards and procedures resulting in poultry and rabbit products that are not adulterated;
    (D) the product bears the processor's name and address and the statement "Exempted P.L. 90-492"; (unless immediately sold to the household consumer); and
    (E) the poultry is not a ratite.
*

* (22) Heat-treated-*-Meat or poultry products that are ready-to-eat or have the appearance of being ready-to-eat because they received heat processing.

*(23) Livestock-*-Cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, other equines, poultry,_ *domestic rabbits,* _exotic animals, or domesticated game birds.

*(24) Person-*-Any individual, partnership, association, corporation, or unincorporated business organization.

*(25) Poultry--*A live or dead domesticated bird.

*(26) Ratite--*Poultry such as ostrich, emus, or rhea.

*(27) Very low volume poultry/rabbit processing establishments-*-Producers that slaughter less than 10,000 poultry, rabbits, or a combination thereof, of their own raising each year.

*(c) Grant of inspection, custom exemption, and/or poultry/rabbit exemption.*
*(1) Basic requirements.*
    (A) A person shall not engage in a business subject to the Act unless that person has met the standards established by the Act, the federal regulations as adopted by the department, and these sections, and has obtained the appropriate grant of inspection, custom exemption, and/or poultry/rabbit exemption issued by the department.
    (B) A person shall not engage in custom operations unless that person has met the standards established by the Act, the federal regulations, and these sections, and has obtained a grant of custom exemption issued by the department.
    (C) A person shall not engage in exempted poultry or rabbit slaughter and processing operations unless that person has met the standards established by the Act, the federal regulations, and these sections, and has obtained a grant of poultry/rabbit exemption issued by the department.
* (2) Application. *To apply for a grant of inspection, custom exemption, and/or poultry/rabbit exemption, a person shall complete department application forms which can be obtained from the Meat Safety Assurance Unit, Department of State Health Services, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78756.
  (3) Duration. The applicant who has complied with the standards in the Act, the federal regulations, and these sections will receive a grant of inspection, custom exemption, and/or poultry/rabbit exemption for an indefinite period subject to the denial, suspension, and revocation provisions in paragraph (6) of this subsection.
  (4) Nontransferability. A grant of inspection, custom exemption, and/or poultry/rabbit exemption is not transferable to another person.
  (5) Change of ownership. Any person operating a business under a grant of inspection, custom exemption, and/or poultry/rabbit exemption from the department shall notify the department of any change in ownership of that business and, in such event, shall relinquish the current grant to the department. The new owner shall make application for a new grant on forms provided by the department. This notification and application shall be made prior to the ownership change.
  (6) Denial, suspension and revocation.
    (A) The department may deny a grant of inspection, custom exemption, and/or poultry/rabbit exemption to any applicant who does not comply with the standards of the Act, the federal regulations, and these sections.
    (B) The department may suspend or revoke a grant of inspection, custom exemption, and/or poultry/rabbit exemption of any person who violates the standards of the Act, the federal regulations, and these sections.
    (C) A person whose grant has been denied, suspended, or revoked is entitled to an opportunity for a formal hearing in accordance with 1.21 - 1.34 of this title (relating to Formal Hearing Procedures).
(d) Special fees for inspection services.
  (1) Scope and purpose. Fees shall be charged by the department for inspection services provided on a holiday or on an overtime basis, and/or for products which do not require inspection by state or federal law.
  (2) Overtime and holiday rate. The overtime and holiday rate for inspection services provided pursuant to Health and Safety Code, Chapter 433, 433.009, shall be $29.50 per hour, per program employee.
  (3) Rate for inspections not required by state or federal meat and poultry inspection laws. The rate for inspections not required by state or federal meat and poultry inspection laws provided pursuant to Health and Safety Code, Chapter 433, 433.009, shall be $29.50 per hour, per program employee.


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## AZ Rabbits

Aside from state regulations, selling rabbit meat falls under the USDA also has different requirements than beef, poultry, pork, etc. The better known meats (beef, poultry, etc) are under the free inspection umbrella. That means that a USDA inspector shows up once a day, unannounced and makes sure all is well. You don't have to pay the inspector to do this (beyond the other standard fees). However, rabbits do not fall under this category. If you are processing rabbit meat for human consumption, you have a pay a UDSA inspector to be at your plant, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. This include pay, benefits, holiday pay if necessary, etc. So more or less, you pay a full time babysitter a good salary with benefits. This is why there are only a couple rabbit meat processing plants in the US. The same thing happened with the Ostrich farms at first. It took 10 years for Congress to change their status and become a free inspection status. Rabbit has a long way to go...

Link to USDA information (use this link because it allows monthly updates): http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&tpl=/index.tpl
Go to Title 9
Then 300-599
Then 354.1-354.348

And don't forget 391.1 to 391.5 
And of course 416.1-416.17
And then 417.1-417.8
And all the other sections that are relevant...

Happy reading!


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## AZ Rabbits

I contacted the Denver District, who is over Arizona and they are saying that USDA inspections are voluntary. 

I guess it's like calling the IRS... the answer changes with each call.


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## smiles-n-sunshine

Right on.  Personally, I prefer to let them prove I can't do something, rather than spend the time proving I can.


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## oneacrefarm

ClintDowns said:
			
		

> Thanks to all. I am still trying to find "Texas" specific.


Clint, 

Here is also a link  to the Animal Welfare Act information. I already posted the Texas Code.


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## ClintDowns

So pretty much what I am getting out of everything is that there is really nothing wrong with putting up a sign on the back of your vehicle window stating, your rabbitry, bunnies for sale, and rabbit meat for sale. I can see where you may have to tippy toe a little but really no harm in anything.


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## oneacrefarm

ClintDowns said:
			
		

> So pretty much what I am getting out of everything is that there is really nothing wrong with putting up a sign on the back of your vehicle window stating, your rabbitry, bunnies for sale, and rabbit meat for sale. I can see where you may have to tippy toe a little but really no harm in anything.


Don't put "Rabbit Meat" put "Rabbit Fryers" instead.


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## AZ Rabbits

Or maybe "Bunny Jerky"...


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## hoodat

ClintDowns said:
			
		

> So pretty much what I am getting out of everything is that there is really nothing wrong with putting up a sign on the back of your vehicle window stating, your rabbitry, bunnies for sale, and rabbit meat for sale. I can see where you may have to tippy toe a little but really no harm in anything.


Be aware that the so called "animal rights" people have a lot of nutcases among their members. A sign like that can subject your vehicle to vandalism or, worse yet, tip them off so they can call in the humane society whether justified or not. Sad to say all rabbit raisers have to be on our guard these days.


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## ClintDowns

hoodat said:
			
		

> ClintDowns said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So pretty much what I am getting out of everything is that there is really nothing wrong with putting up a sign on the back of your vehicle window stating, your rabbitry, bunnies for sale, and rabbit meat for sale. I can see where you may have to tippy toe a little but really no harm in anything.
> 
> 
> 
> Be aware that the so called "animal rights" people have a lot of nutcases among their members. A sign like that can subject your vehicle to vandalism or, worse yet, tip them off so they can call in the humane society whether justified or not. Sad to say all rabbit raisers have to be on our guard these days.
Click to expand...

I agree with you totally. There are a bunch of dummies out there that should be grazing the land like cows. Everyone has ate meat but some think they can live off of grass. Well more power to the dummies. I will be moving my shed with cages and rabbits to my yard this Saturday. I am very excited about the whole ordeal. If I do do something like that I will definitely be very sensitive with wording. Thanks to you guys and this site, you all definitely help and make people think about all angles.


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## zzGypsy

SuburbanFarmChic said:
			
		

> quiltnchik said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SuburbanFarmChic said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The way to get around that is you sell the rabbit live and provide butchering as a free service.
> 
> If you are selling straight up meat.. then yes, it needs to have the USDA stamp unless you are offering it for pet use I believe.  Your state may vary on regs for pet use products.
> 
> 
> 
> Check your state laws.  Some states mandate that you cannot provide any type of butchering service.  Better to be safe than sorry.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Yeah, meant to phrase that differently to indicate to check for both.  In WV if you are processing under 1000 a year you can process and sell but need to keep track of your own everything and you are recorded but not inspected. Something like that.
Click to expand...

I think MO is similar to this but the numbers differ, here I think it's based on sales, not headcount.  

however selling *pet* rabbits does have a federal headcount limit before you have to be licensed - that's been in the news alot lately because there's a guy not far from me who'd fighting a near $100,000 fine for selling a few hundred rabbits to petstores without the proper federal paperwork.


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## hemet dennis

zzGypsy said:
			
		

> SuburbanFarmChic said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> quiltnchik said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Check your state laws.  Some states mandate that you cannot provide any type of butchering service.  Better to be safe than sorry.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah, meant to phrase that differently to indicate to check for both.  In WV if you are processing under 1000 a year you can process and sell but need to keep track of your own everything and you are recorded but not inspected. Something like that.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I think MO is similar to this but the numbers differ, here I think it's based on sales, not headcount.
> 
> however selling *pet* rabbits does have a federal headcount limit before you have to be licensed - that's been in the news alot lately because there's a guy not far from me who'd fighting a near $100,000 fine for selling a few hundred rabbits to petstores without the proper federal paperwork.
Click to expand...

Last I heard on that guy was he settled and he cant sell any for 2 years and no fine.


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## zzGypsy

hemet dennis said:
			
		

> zzGypsy said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SuburbanFarmChic said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah, meant to phrase that differently to indicate to check for both.  In WV if you are processing under 1000 a year you can process and sell but need to keep track of your own everything and you are recorded but not inspected. Something like that.
> 
> 
> 
> I think MO is similar to this but the numbers differ, here I think it's based on sales, not headcount.
> 
> however selling *pet* rabbits does have a federal headcount limit before you have to be licensed - that's been in the news alot lately because there's a guy not far from me who'd fighting a near $100,000 fine for selling a few hundred rabbits to petstores without the proper federal paperwork.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Last I heard on that guy was he settled and he cant sell any for 2 years and no fine.
Click to expand...

did that just happen?  heard him on local radio about 3 weeks ago and they were still wanting $94,000.  of course, that's down from the $4mil they started at...


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## hemet dennis

zzGypsy said:
			
		

> hemet dennis said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> zzGypsy said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think MO is similar to this but the numbers differ, here I think it's based on sales, not headcount.
> 
> however selling *pet* rabbits does have a federal headcount limit before you have to be licensed - that's been in the news alot lately because there's a guy not far from me who'd fighting a near $100,000 fine for selling a few hundred rabbits to petstores without the proper federal paperwork.
> 
> 
> 
> Last I heard on that guy was he settled and he cant sell any for 2 years and no fine.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> did that just happen?  heard him on local radio about 3 weeks ago and they were still wanting $94,000.  of course, that's down from the $4mil they started at...
Click to expand...

Yea someone on the chicken site said it was in the last couple of weeks.


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