If you are new to direct meat sales and have just read our blog posts about having your meat processed for the first time and pricing your meat for profit, we’ve pulled together some more resources for you to explore. To access our Meat Processing Resource page, click the link here.

1. USDA Certified Facilities Map – If you are looking to sell meat directly to consumers, you will need to process your animals at a USDA Certified processing facility. The only exemption is for poultry, which you can have them processed at USDA Exempt poultry processing facility if you are planning to sell them off the farm, at a farmer’s market, or directly to the end consumer via a CSA or subscription.

2. Educational Resources – Your local University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension office can be a wealth of knowledge for you when looking at what livestock to add to your farm. They can work with you on grazing plans, nutritional management, and more. Find your county office information here:  https://extension.ca.uky.edu/county. 

3. Funding Resources – There are several options out there for direct-to-consumer meat producers when it comes to funding. From low-interest loans for the purchase of livestock and additional infrastructure to grants to help with growing your market, we’ve included some of the most popular options available.

If you have questions on business planning, funding assistance, and marketing planning, feel free to contact KCARD at 850-550-3972 or via email at kcard@kcard.info.