1. Direct Poultry Marketing
Dr. Bryon Wiegand
University of Missouri
Division of Animal Sciences

3. Value of Poultry to U.S. Economy
Broilers, eggs, turkeys, and chickens
Combined value of $35.9 billion in 2008
Up 11 %
Broilers 64%
Eggs 23%
Turkeys 12%
Chickens 1%

4. Consumer Demands Increased consumer demand for locally grown meat
Increased demand for organic, all natural food products
Number of farmer’s markets across the nation has doubled in the last 10 years
This means greater opportunities for Direct marketing of meat and poultry products.

5. Growing the birds http://www.attra.org/livestock.html#Poultry
Poultry Your Way
Operating on a budget

6. Processing Options On farm processing State Inspection
Federal Inspection

7. On farm processing
Poultry is the only meat allowed to be sold after farm processing
Processors must slaughter animals raised on their own farm
Many farmers markets and institutions will not allow “exempt from inspection” poultry products to be sold
Waste disposal is an important consideration with on-farm processing

8. On farm processing Allowed under various exemptions
Mutually exclusive exemptions- only one exemption per facility is allowed per year
All exempt processors must meet non-inspection provisions of the Federal Meat and Poultry Acts
Not adulterated or misbranded
Prepared under sanitary conditions
Properly marked and packaged
Stored separately from inspected products
All facilities must be constructed in a manner that will allow the operator to maintain sanitary conditions and prevent the adultering of products

9. Personal Use Exemption
“Not for sale” product
Should be labeled “Exempt P.L "
Poultry is slaughtered by the producer/grower
“Personal use” exempt poultry meat is for the use of the grower/producer, family, and non-paying guests/employees of the household
Meat cannot be sold or donated for use as human food
No limit to the number of birds slaughtered per year
Poultry must be healthy at slaughter

10. Custom Exemption
A custom exempt processor does not buy or sell poultry, they act solely as a service
Not for sale, only for the personal use of the grower/owner of the poultry
Should be labeled “Exempt P.L "
Slaughter and processing is conducted in accordance with sanitary standards
Poultry must be healthy at slaughter

11. Producer/Grower 1,000 Limit exemption
Producer can slaughter no more than 1000 of their own birds/year for distribution as human food
Slaughter and processing is conducted under sanitary standards
Producer keeps records necessary for the effective enforcement of the Federal Meat and Poultry Acts
these include slaughter and sales records
Not allowed for interstate commerce
Poultry must be healthy at slaughter

12. Producer/Grower 20,000 Limit exemption
Must slaughter less than 20,000 of their own birds/year for distribution as human food
Slaughter and processing is conducted under sanitary standards
Not allowed for interstate commerce
Should be labeled “Exempt P.L "
Poultry must be healthy at slaughter
Facilities inspected occasionally for sanitation

13. Producer/Grower or Other person 20,000 limit exemption
A poultry grower who slaughters and processes their own poultry for sale directly to household consumers, restaurants, hotels, and boarding houses to be used in for the preparation of meals served or sold directly to customers.
A person who purchases live poultry from a grower and then slaughters and processes such poultry for sale directly to household consumers, restaurants, hotels, and boarding houses to be used for the preparation of meals sold directly to customers.

14. Producer/Grower or Other Person
Limited to slaughtering less than 20,000 birds/year
Cannot be sold to a distributor or retail store
Should be labeled “Exempt P.L "
Not allowed for interstate commerce
Poultry must be healthy at slaughter
Slaughter and processing is conducted under sanitary standards

15. Small Enterprise exemption
A producer/grower who raises, slaughters, and dresses poultry for use as human food whose processing of dressed exempt poultry is limited to cutting up;
A business that purchases live poultry that it slaughters and dresses whose processing of the slaughtered poultry is limited to the cutting up; or
A business that purchases dressed poultry, which it distributes as carcasses and whose processing is limited to the cutting up of inspected or exempted poultry products, for distribution for use as human food.

16. Small Enterprise exemption
Processing of Federal or State inspected or exempt poultry product is limited to the cutting up of carcasses;
The business slaughters and dresses or cuts up no more than 20,000 birds in a calendar year
A business may slaughter or cut up poultry under the Small Enterprise Exemption for sale to:
household consumers
hotels
retail stores
restaurants
similar institutions.

18. State Inspection “Equal to” federal inspection
Meat bearing the state mark of inspection can be sold within the state of Missouri, no interstate commerce
Require Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs) and a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan
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19. Processing Very, very, very limited in Missouri.
Mobile Processing Units????
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ocessing_Unit
Who builds them???
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20. Mobile Processing
Scalding
Self-contained unit
Killing Cones
Plucking
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Chilling

21. State of Missouri Poultry Inspection Poultry Exemption
9 CFR and the "Poultry Products Inspection Act" address the exemption regulations in regard to poultry producers. Call (573) for further clarification of these regulations.
Inspection exemption
Label exemption

22. MO Poultry Health Program Staff
Rose Foster Program Coordinator (573) (573) cell phone
Tony Perryman (573) (573) cell phone
Jennifer Weber Animal Health Officer (573)

23. Federal Inspection Required for interstate commerce
Federally inspected meat is also eligible for export
Require Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs) and a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan

24. Poultry label claims Free Range “must have access to the outside”
no other criteria such as environmental quality, number of birds, or space per bird, are included in the term “free-range.”

25. Natural Claims Natural
A product containing no artificial ingredients, flavors or colors, chemical preservatives and is only minimally processed
Minimally processed
Traditional processes used to make food edible, preserve it, or make it safe OR
Physical processes that do not fundamentally alter the raw product or that only separate whole food into component parts ex: ground beef

26. Label Claims No hormones added No antibiotics added
Cannot be used on poultry labels as hormones are not permitted in raising poultry
No antibiotics added
may be used if sufficient documentation is provided to the Agency demonstrating that the animals were raised without antibiotics.

27. Certified Organic
Poultry must be under continuous organic management beginning no later than the second day of life
The total feed ration must be composed of organically produced agricultural products, including pasture and forage
No drugs, hormones, or antibiotics

28. Certified Organic Housing
“Housing should protect birds from the elements, maintain a comfortable temperature, provide ventilation and clean bedding and allow birds to conduct natural behaviors.”
“Cages are not permitted. Birds must have access to the outdoors for exercise areas, fresh air and sunlight and must be able to scratch and dust bath.”
Stocking densities are not specified by the National Organic Program
For any other information regarding certified organic poultry, visit the USDA website page for the National Organic program

29. General Label Requirements
Product Name
Legend of Inspection
Handling Statement – i.e. “Keep refrigerated”
Net Weight
Address/Signature Line
Safe Handling Instructions
Ingredients-two or more
Nutrition Facts- unless exempt (small business, single ingredient, etc.)
To prevent misbranding, these elements should be included on all packages.

30. Applying for Label Claims
Label submissions are only accepted from the plant, not from the producer.
Also, labels can only be applied at the plant where approved
In order for processors to make label claims, they must be inspected.
Claims must have substantial supporting documentation
For more information, contact the Missouri Department of Agriculture or the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA

31. Pricing
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Be aware of what other direct marketers are charging
Attend farmer’s markets in your area to see what other producers are charging for the same type of product
Know your cost of production, promotion, and distribution. Make sure you charge more than your break-even price.
Consumers are usually willing to pay higher prices if the product meets their specifications for either animal raising practices or product quality df