Alberta to allow direct farm-to-consumer meat sales under new rules

[amosfella]

The province has changed its regulations so consumers can buy individual animals from ranchers and have the meat processed on site.

Under current rules, all animals have to be processed in a provincially approved slaughterhouse

Updated regulations, announced Wednesday by Agriculture and Forestry Minister Devin Dreeshen, will allow the slaughter and processing of an animal on site.

The work can be done by a licensed mobile butcher, or the producer themselves, if they obtain their own butchering licence.

Dreeshen said that will help producers sell to consumers who are interested in supporting their local food industry.

"The unique part of these regulation changes is that they can sell directly to a consumer," he said. "So the meat essentially from an animal, the animal itself, is being sold to a consumer."

Small producers and hunters have called for these changes. Some argue slaughtering an animal on site is more humane than the measures used in large industrial abattoirs.

Earlier this year, Dreeshen's ministry carried out consultations about the possibility of farm-to-consumer sales.

The COVID-19 pandemic heightened consumer concerns about the safety of the food supply, particularly after outbreaks at the province's two large meat processing plants.

The changes also speeds up the process when an animal needs to be put down for humane reasons. Inspections can be done via video instead of having to be done in-person by a provincial inspector.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmon...r9khEzdR9jBtqM

[calgarychef]

Great news!

[oldgutpile]

2 ways to buy direct:
1. Basically, this is a farm direct sale of a whole animal. The changes allow for the animal to be sold to someone and their direct family, not to be entered into the retail or wholesale trade.
2.The video salvage of downed cattle has been in the works for many years. This allows a producer to recieve some value out of animals that have been compromised, but are still good for the food chain, such as when they break a leg during loading onto trailers. These animals still have to be handled by a licensed facility, but previous rules didn't allow for any salvage without a vet on site. Now it can be done using cell phone footage to connect with certified departments. This method does allow for further sale of that meat to the public.

[DougH11]

Awesome!

[DRhunter]

For Clarity, does this change allow a consumer to buy an animal from the rancher, have the rancher (or the consumer) kill the animal and then the consumer can take the animal home to butcher themselves?

It appears that it reads as thought the butchering has to be done on site at the farm or ranch.

I hope is the former where the consumer can take the animal home and self butcher. Have had several requests for this.

DR

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by DRhunter

For Clarity, does this change allow a consumer to buy an animal from the rancher, have the rancher (or the consumer) kill the animal and then the consumer can take the animal home to butcher themselves?

It appears that it reads as thought the butchering has to be done on site at the farm or ranch.

I hope is the former where the consumer can take the animal home and self butcher. Have had several requests for this.

DR

Not many people are equipped to take the animal away and deal with it, including waste disposal, which can be as much as half the weight. Then there's that butchering license requirement. Better to hire a mobile butcher and let him deal with it. We have a couple around here now. Announcement is a bit of a surprise to me.

Grizz

[35 whelen]

What's the regulations on buying an elk and slaughtering it yourself, I could come home every year with a nice bull then LOL.

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[creeky]

Good, long overdue.


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[pgavey]

Great news. I never thought I would see a $200.0 standing rib roast, but I did at costco. 7 rib 198.00 I'M sure the farmer who raised this steer did not get the lion's share of the price. A package of hamburger meat at Wallmart $15.00 same size package of ground pork or turkey $6.00 again Great news.

[Scott h]

Finally some common sense.

[Bleat]

Originally Posted by creeky

Good, long overdue.


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It's honestly kind of ridiculous that it's taken this long. I gave up hope thinking that it would ever happen.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by Bleat

It's honestly kind of ridiculous that it's taken this long. I gave up hope thinking that it would ever happen.

I think most people would rather believe their meat comes in cellophane wrapped packages. Can't really see much changing. We've bought beef from the Olds College in the past, not much different.

GRizz

[KGB]

The only thing that would worry me in this case of scenario is the actual inspection of the beef. You know, the usual- tuberculosis, anthrax or whatever else the inspectors look for after the slaughter...

[El Carnicero]

Originally Posted by KGB

The only thing that would worry me in this case of scenario is the actual inspection of the beef. You know, the usual- tuberculosis, anthrax or whatever else the inspectors look for after the slaughter...

This is a concern. Though most farmers can recognize some basic symptoms in their animals long before it gets to the slaughter. As for the mobile butcher guys, most of the guys doing that as a proper business have years of experiences and are well trained in what is not fit for consumption s would likely indicate such to either the farmer or the consumer.

There are a few outliers who will use this to make a buck off of garbage animals, but I have trust that the majority of producers actually do care about what they are selling to people.

There has to also be a degree of allowance that the customers need to take responsibility for their own choices. If you buy from a producer without the carcass being inspected and they get sick, they have to accept that they took the risk.

In the end, the guys at Alberta Ag and Forestry have seen fit to make sure that anyone doing these farm kills, mobile or personal will be required to have a license and that when complaints do come in, they will be investigated by the Inspection and Investigation group.

[Dubious]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

What's the regulations on buying an elk and slaughtering it yourself, I could come home every year with a nice bull then LOL.

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Pack you bags tell your wife your going hunting for a week buy a farm elk drop it off at the butchers fly to Mexico for an all inclusive week with you buddies pick it up cut and wrapped on the way home from the airport. Seems legit and could be cheaper than all that hunting gear.

[creeky]

Originally Posted by Bleat

It's honestly kind of ridiculous that it's taken this long. I gave up hope thinking that it would ever happen.

Same. Wonder if the covid outbreaks at the slaughter plants helped tipped the scales?


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[josey]

Originally Posted by creeky

Same. Wonder if the covid outbreaks at the slaughter plants helped tipped the scales?


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Actually the survey to ranchers came out before. Change was already in the making. It's part of the UCP's red tape cutting which seems a great initiative!

There is another one that (Survey in winter, legislation change June 1): Low risk home made foods are now legal to be sold.
Details: https://www.alberta.ca/low-risk-home...red-foods.aspx

I am excited about this one. I can now sell my jams, pickles and baked goods. Yay!

One thing to add on the meat/farmer/butcher one: I find it easier to trust a farmer and mobile butcher than random meat in the supermarket. Local, small operations have much more to lose (reputation, future business) than a no name meat producer and supermarket chain.

[Bleat]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

I think most people would rather believe their meat comes in cellophane wrapped packages. Can't really see much changing. We've bought beef from the Olds College in the past, not much different.

GRizz

It's sad, really. I was watching a special not long ago about healthy eating and food knowledge overall. They asked junior high school aged kids (granted, in the US) about where certain foods were from. One of the first items that came up was bananas and the overwhelming answer was, 'the market'

[bessiedog]

Whoa.....!


I wuz a criminal up till now?


Go figure....

[Stinky Coyote]

Originally Posted by Dubious

Pack you bags tell your wife your going hunting for a week buy a farm elk drop it off at the butchers fly to Mexico for an all inclusive week with you buddies pick it up cut and wrapped on the way home from the airport. Seems legit and could be cheaper than all that hunting gear.

This idea has legs. Hmmm

Big enough ranch, if the operation is set up right, accommodations, and or, camping spots so you can choose different package options. Stag parties, day hunts, weekenders, full week hunt options. Hunt the critters yourself (like the fenced wild boar places here), or with a guide most likely, all the boys get their elk, processed on-site, lots of campfire/drink time. One stop shop...won't need any tickets to mexico with an operation like that! Damn, where do i sign up. Can i request Moose ranch like this though?

[35 whelen]

Yes that's kind of what I was thinking LOL

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[creeky]

Originally Posted by josey

Actually the survey to ranchers came out before. Change was already in the making. It's part of the UCP's red tape cutting which seems a great initiative!

There is another one that (Survey in winter, legislation change June 1): Low risk home made foods are now legal to be sold.
Details: https://www.alberta.ca/low-risk-home...red-foods.aspx

I am excited about this one. I can now sell my jams, pickles and baked goods. Yay!

One thing to add on the meat/farmer/butcher one: I find it easier to trust a farmer and mobile butcher than random meat in the supermarket. Local, small operations have much more to lose (reputation, future business) than a no name meat producer and supermarket chain.

Credit where credits due then-props to UCP for red tape cutting in this instance.

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[creeky]

Originally Posted by josey

Actually the survey to ranchers came out before. Change was already in the making. It's part of the UCP's red tape cutting which seems a great initiative!

There is another one that (Survey in winter, legislation change June 1): Low risk home made foods are now legal to be sold.
Details: https://www.alberta.ca/low-risk-home...red-foods.aspx

I am excited about this one. I can now sell my jams, pickles and baked goods. Yay!

One thing to add on the meat/farmer/butcher one: I find it easier to trust a farmer and mobile butcher than random meat in the supermarket. Local, small operations have much more to lose (reputation, future business) than a no name meat producer and supermarket chain.

Agree 100%.


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[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by Stinky Coyote

This idea has legs. Hmmm

Big enough ranch, if the operation is set up right, accommodations, and or, camping spots so you can choose different package options. Stag parties, day hunts, weekenders, full week hunt options. Hunt the critters yourself (like the fenced wild boar places here), or with a guide most likely, all the boys get their elk, processed on-site, lots of campfire/drink time. One stop shop...won't need any tickets to mexico with an operation like that! Damn, where do i sign up. Can i request Moose ranch like this though?

It is legal to farm moose in Alberta.
Instead of hunting them make the event so you have to catch a cow moose and milk her.

I don't know if I would be selling my moose for meat. I'd be milking the moose. Cheeze made from moose milk sells for $1000 a kilo. 6 to 10 moose cows can produce 500 kilos a year.

[amosfella]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

It is legal to farm moose in Alberta.
Instead of hunting them make the event so you have to catch a cow moose and milk her.

I don't know if I would be selling my moose for meat. I'd be milking the moose. Cheeze made from moose milk sells for $1000 a kilo. 6 to 10 moose cows can produce 500 kilos a year.

You can always allow hunting of the male offspring.

I suppose moose aren't subject to milk quotas??

[amosfella]

This is something that I might look into pursuing. I'm only short a bandsaw and cooler to get going. I'd like to get it set up in a shipping container with an aluminum floor. Maybe a 40 footer.

I wonder how raw meat dogfood/petfood sales are affected?

[El Carnicero]

Originally Posted by amosfella

This is something that I might look into pursuing. I'm only short a bandsaw and cooler to get going. I'd like to get it set up in a shipping container with an aluminum floor. Maybe a 40 footer.

I wonder how raw meat dogfood/petfood sales are affected?

Raw meat and dog food is covered in a separate section dealing with inedible byproduct and salvage. Plants have been able to sell inedibles for pet food for years. Though most dont due to being too time consuming and not having a large enough demand from a small scale abattoir.

[HVA7mm]

Originally Posted by amosfella

This is something that I might look into pursuing. I'm only short a bandsaw and cooler to get going. I'd like to get it set up in a shipping container with an aluminum floor. Maybe a 40 footer.

I wonder how raw meat dogfood/petfood sales are affected?

Why worry about a cooler and a shipping container, just buy a used reefer van.

[amosfella]

Originally Posted by HVA7mm

Why worry about a cooler and a shipping container, just buy a used reefer van.

Definitely thought about that one too... I'd have to figure out how to make that work though. I have 3 ph generators, but no 'from the wall' 3 ph power. Most of the reefer units I see that have electrical are 3 ph.

[fishtank]

Common sense prevails..