Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
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Certified organic meat, including poultry, cannot be marketed as certified unless it has been
slaughtered and processed in a certified organic plant. Most small producers cannot justify eco-
nomically the expense of such facilities. These producers, however, have another option. There
is a federal 20,000 bird per year freedom-of-inspection law (The Poultry Products Inspection
Act, section 15) for small producers to process on-farm. This law applies only to poultry and
restricts the producer to in-state shipping. Often tighter state and local laws override this feder-
al law. Producers must research what is required in their location. In addition, your organic cer-
tifier may require documentation of processing methods and/or organic handling certification.
Organic poultry processing on-farm should be properly learned and carefully carried out. Here
are some guidelines:
• Develop your own HACCP (hazard analysis and critical control point) plan. For in-
formation on developing and implementing an HACCP plan, see
• At minimum, use stainless steel equipment, clean, tested water, lots of chilling ice,
and hygienic practices.
• Insist on gentle and humane handling of birds to the very end.
• Ensure integrity of the processing work, from slaughter to packaging to freezing.
You can find good information about on-farm processing uniquely suited to the small or-
ganic broiler producer. ATTRA (Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas) has a good
publication called
Small-Scale Poultry Processing
by Anne Fanatico. The American Pastured
Poultry Producers Association offers numerous examples of how small producers are process-
ing and selling their own product.
