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Every farm needs a stream of revenue to support itself and selling meat products derived from the animals you raise can help your livestock pay for themselves. This factsheet, part of our “Producing a Value-Added Product on the farm Series,” was created specifically to help farmers understand the major decision points and regulatory concerns involved in deciding to get livestock (hogs, sheep, goats and cattle) processed and sold as meat in Michigan. 

Many thanks to Jamie Rahrig and Bob Culler for contributing their valuable insights into this work and to William Hull, Aimee Swenson, Jeannine Schweilhofer Ph.D. and Rebecca Thistlethwaithe for their thoughtful feedback. Thanks also to Emma Beauchamp and Melissa Hill for their communications and design assistance.  

Contributors: 

• Jamie Rahrig, Sr. Specialist, MSU CRFS 
• Bob Culler, Consultant 

Reviewers: 

• William Hull, MDARD 
• Aimee Swenson, State Communications & Outreach Specialist, USDA FSA 
• Jeannine Schweihofer PhD, Agriculture & Agribusiness Institute Associate Director, MSU Extension  
• Rebecca Thistlethwaithe, Director, Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network 

Designers: 

• Emma Beauchamp, Communications Strategist, MSU CRFS 
• Melissa Hill, Communications Manager, MSU CRFS 

Related Resources:

Product Specific Resources 

• Using Custom Exempt Slaughter & Processing Facilities FAQs 
• Custom & Retail Exemptions from Federal Inspection 
• Guide to Determining if Exempt from Federal Inspection 
• Selling Individual Meat Cuts Direct to Consumer in MI 
• MSUE Poultry Processing Exemption Navigation  
• MFB Slaughter/Processing Groundwater Discharge Factsheet 
• AG Marketing Service Meat & Poultry Processing Technical Assistance 
• Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network 

Funding 

• USDA Value Added Producer Grants 
• Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant Program (MPIRG)  
• Meat & Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP) 
• Local Meat Capacity Grant (LocalMCap) 
• Funding Sources for Food & Farm Businesses 

Slaughter/Processing Licensing & Regulation 

• MI Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy 
• Groundwater Discharge 
• USDA Food Safety Inspection Service 
• Slaughter Inspection 101 
• Federal Meat Inspection Guidelines & Directives 
• Federal Meat Inspection Act 
• Meat Inspection 
• Poultry Inspection 
• Custom Exempt Review Process 
• MDARD 
• MI Food Law 
• MI Modified Food Code 
• Variance for Specialized Meat Processing 
• Meat Variance Contacts 

Acknowledgements:  

We are grateful to the USDA RFSP and WKKF Michigan grants for providing funding to produce these resources. The authors are also grateful to colleagues at the USDA, MDARD and MSUE for reviewing and guiding included content and providing copy edits. Most importantly, a special thanks to Melissa Hill for the spectacular design work that helps this publication guide the reader through complicated but vital information. 

Suggested Citation: 

Stokes, S., Rahrig, J., Culler, B.  (2024) Value-Added Products from the Farm: Selling Farm Fresh Meat in Michigan. Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems. https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/value-added-products-from-the-farm-selling-farm-fresh-meat-in-michigan.