Independent Poultry Processing in Georgia

One of Georgia Organics' advocacy priorities is to provide a processing solution for independent poultry farmers in Georgia.  Georgia is the #1 broiler producer in the nation with ZERO options for processing outside of the big chicken houses.

 

A confusing intersection of federal and state laws pertaining to poultry processing has made it difficult for Georgia’s independent farmers to process chickens for market.

 

Federal laws allow for 20,000 birds or less to be processed on-farm through a producer-grower exemption. In 2003, that exemption was deleted from the state rules governing poultry processing. At that same time, Georgia established a statute to provide for a poultry division and inspection, which has yet to be seen. Since that time, Georgia farmers have been caught in a catch-22. The only processing facilities located in the state of Georgia are owned by the large chicken companies.

 

There are farmers that are raising and selling pastured poultry however. Most travel to the closest facilities - located in South Carolina and Kentucky - and return home to sell their high-quality chickens. This added expense for travel and accomodations, coupled with revenue being spent out of state to bring the birds right back, is a nonsensical way of doing business. Independent Georgia farmers need processing options.

 

In 2010, with the help of a small grant from Farm Aid and Suzanne Welander, Georgia Organics was able to establish the Georgia Pastured Poultry Working Group and conduct a farmer and market survey to look at the potential supply interest and market demand of pasture-raised poultry.  Immediately following, a full legal analysis was conducted and Georgia Organics is currently negotiating with the state department of agriculture to provide a solution.

 

Consumer and Advocate Interest

 

Consumers and restaurants that want to buy local, sustainable poultry can help quantify the crucial need for infrastructure to support the farms interested in raising chicken by participating in a short survey. Data from this survey will be used to support consumer and restaurant demand. 

 

Take the survey here.

  

Come back to this page for regular updates, or sign up for eDirt to get Georgia Organics' e-newsetter.

 

Farmer Resources

 

Processors that serve small-scale farmers and provide USDA inspection are located in South Carolina and Kentucky.  A complete list of USDA inspected facilities throughout the Southeast is available here.

 

American Pastured Poultry Producers Association (APPPA) encourages sharing of information, innovation, and advice on raising poultry on pasture through a newsletter and other means. www.apppa.org

 

National Center for Appropriate Technology has published extensive educational materials on sanitary procedures for processing fowl, available through ATTRA at http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/poultryprocess.html.

 

USDA provides the following document to determine if processing facilities, including those located on farms, are exempt from the federal act. The Guidance for Determining Whether a Poultry Slaughter or Processing Operation is Exempt from Inspection Requirements of the Poultry Products Inspection Act is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISNotices/Poultry_Slaughter_Exemption_0406.pdf

 

Model Programs in Nearby States

 

Georgia’s not alone in the need to address these issues; many other states are innovating processing solutions to address the chronic need in rural communities for small-scale slaughter facilities while protecting and preserving the health and safety of the food supply:

 

Kentucky’s Mobile Processing Unit (MPU): 

Kentucky State University’s MPU connects with docking stations at two locations in the state.  Total cost of the facility was $70,000. After completing a two day training course, farmers can schedule time in the facility to process their own chickens. Poultry processed in this facility can be sold only within the state of Kentucky.

http://www.extension.org/pages/Kentucky_Mobile_Poultry_Processing_Unit
http://www.extension.org/pages/Mobile_slaughter%2Fprocessing_units_currently_in_operation

 

 

Western North Carolina’s Foothills Farmers Network and Independent Small Animal Meat Processing Association:   Farmers formed this cooperative and secured funding for an open-air MPU. Processing equipment is installed on a flatbed trailer, and can be used on-farm by farms producing fewer than 1,000 birds per year. Total cost of the facility was $5,000.

http://www.foothillsfamilyfarms.org/content/1526
http://www.smithsonmills.com/animalreport.pdf

 

 Thanks to Frances Winslow for photos that appear on this page.