Poultry Processing

Inspection

No inspection is required for poultry producers who do their own processing and sell fewer than 1,000 home-raised poultry per year from their farm directly to the end consumer. Producers selling more than 1,000 birds per year, or producers who sell their poultry off the premises of their own farm (e.g. at a farmers' market, roadside stand), may be subject to inspection, though processing facilities do not need pre-approval by the MDA.

Licensing

Some people who sell poultry directly from the farm are exempt from state licensing. To be exempt from state licensing, poultry must be sold directly from the farm to the end consumer, and the following requirements must be met:

• The farm slaughters fewer than 20,000 birds annually.
• No birds are offered for sale or transportation in interstate commerce (i.e., across state lines).
• The farmer sells only birds raised on his/her own farm.
• The poultry products are sold as whole birds or cut up (no smoking or curing permitted).
• The poultry has been processed in one of two ways:
  • The poultry grower slaughters his/her own birds under sanitary conditions OR
  • The poultry have been processed at a USDA or Minnesota “Equal To” facility (note that poultry processed in this way can also be sold wholesale)
• The processor must keep slaughter and sales records.
• Poultry is properly labeled with the following:
  • The Farmer’s Name
  • The Name and Address of your farm, including the zip code
  • The Product Name
  • “Exempt PL 90-492”

While the MDA does not license these producers, we do ask them to register with the Department as on-farm exempt producers. There is no fee associated with this, and registered producers receive a certificate from the MDA.

Yes, if you have a facility that meets the requirements as outlined in 9 CFR 416.2 - 416.5. These facilities may be subject to inspection by the MDA to ensure proper construction and sanitation. Home-slaughtered birds may be sold to end consumers at farmers' markets, but they cannot be sold at grocery stores or other retail outlets.

Farmers selling whole or cut up poultry (no other ingredients added) from their own flock are not required to be licensed. However, certain local governments may require licensing to sell products at a farmers' market so it is important to check with your market manager about local regulations, as well. For information on processing options, see the answer to the question below.

To sell these chickens, your local butcher would need to be a USDA inspected or Minnesota “Equal To” inspected processing plant. These plants must meet more stringent food safety standards than those for custom exempt plants. During a USDA or Minnesota Equal To inspection, each chicken is inspected for food safety and wholesomeness to ensure the chickens have been processed to the highest level of food safety. For a list of USDA plants, contact the USDA Des Moines District Office at 1-800-990-9834. Minnesota Equal To plants are listed online at Minnesota State "Equal To" Plants. A farmer can also process their own poultry for sales to end consumers at a farmers' market. Learn more in our fact sheet: Selling Farm-Slaughtered Poultry and Rabbits.

There are no regulatory requirements for an individual to process their own birds for their own personal use.

These birds must be processed under USDA or Minnesota "Equal To" inspection. Licensing is not required by the state if you are only selling birds you have raised.