# Selling meat rabbits



## hitnspit (Oct 16, 2011)

Just started to breed rabbits for meat. I have heard herew and there that many places will buy the meat from people. Anyone here in Vermont know about this.??????thank you


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## Snowfie (Oct 17, 2011)

My understsanding is that it is not legal to sell meat to people unless it was slaughtered in a USDA inspected and licensed facility (which can be expensive to get licensing).

You can slaughter for your own consumption, and you can give away meat to friends and family, you just can't sell it for human consumption.  I am not sure if you can sell it for animal consumption as there is a significant "raw foods" movement in the dog owner community, but if it is legal it is probably required to be labled "not intended for human consumption".

You can sell live animals to a licensed USDA processor (if they buy rabbits) and several will usually charge a certain ammount per pound and have min/max weight requirements and possibly fur color requirements (they prefer white fur for meat animals).


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## hitnspit (Oct 17, 2011)

I have talked to the vermont meat stat inspector and he told me that rabbits are diffrent then poultry. was also told in order for me to sell any meat you have to sell the animal as live weight and offer the slaughtering as a service. Thats how a lot of people get around the whole inspected thing......


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## Rocky Knolls Rabbits (Oct 17, 2011)

I don't know about rabbits for sure, but in Maryland for goats and such you can sell them live and "rent" people a place to slaughter and process the meat and not have as much in the way of health department regs.  It's definately something that would vary state to state.


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## sc00ter4900 (Oct 18, 2011)

Rocky Knolls Rabbits said:
			
		

> I don't know about rabbits for sure, but in Maryland for goats and such you can sell them live and "rent" people a place to slaughter and process the meat and not have as much in the way of health department regs.  It's definately something that would vary state to state.


Where would you have to go or call to find out the right answer? Right now I'm just selling them live. I'm only cleanig them for freinds and family and of cource myself. Thanks  Scotty


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## Ms. Research (Oct 18, 2011)

sc00ter4900 said:
			
		

> Rocky Knolls Rabbits said:
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Do you have a County extension office?  Here in New Jersey, I would go to my County office to find out what I can do in that area.   Or even your Municipality would have laws on the books as well of what you can do on your property.  But this is New Jersey who is LOADED with regs.  

Hope this helps.  

Wishing you luck in your new venture.


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