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How to find a beef processor in Michigan

7 sources citedUpdated Oct 27, 2026General information, not financial, legal or health advice

Short answer: Michigan has no state meat inspection program. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) handles meat inspection here. Michigan ended its state program in 1981, and USDA took over on Oct 3, 1981.[1] Cattle in Michigan are slaughtered either at a USDA-inspected plant or at a custom-exempt plant for the animal's owners.[2][3] If you buy a share from a farm, the farm often books the processor for you. Ask the farm which processor it uses and how you pay.

USDA-inspected vs. custom-exempt

  • USDA-inspected plants have inspection before and after slaughter. MSU Extension says federal inspection is required for meat that is sold directly to consumers or wholesale.[2][3]
  • Custom-exempt plants also follow USDA FSIS sanitation rules, and FSIS may inspect them from time to time.[3][4] Meat from custom-exempt processing is only for the animal's owner, the owner's household, nonpaying guests and employees. It can't be sold or donated, and every package must be marked "Not for Sale."[2][4]

What this means for you: When you buy a share of a live animal, you own that share before the animal is slaughtered, and a custom-exempt processor can cut it for you. That beef is for your household, not for resale. When a farm sells you beef by the cut or in packages, it must come from an animal slaughtered at a USDA-inspected plant, and the farm needs a Michigan food license to sell it.[2][7]

How Michigan farms handle processing

As of Oct 27, 2026, 28 of the 48 Michigan farms we list said you pay the processor separately, and some say you pay at pickup. Two said processing is included.[5] Farms that posted a processing rate listed about $0.65 to $1.00 per lb of hanging weight, and some processors add a flat fee per animal or per quarter.[5] Many listings name the processor and say where you pick up.

If you need to find a processor yourself

  1. Ask the farm first. It may already have a processing date booked.
  2. To find USDA-inspected plants, search the FSIS Meat, Poultry and Egg Product Inspection Directory.[6]
  3. Ask each processor:
    • Do you take beef for custom-exempt processing, USDA-inspected processing, or both?
    • What do you charge per lb of hanging weight, and is there a flat fee per animal?
    • When is the cut sheet due, and how long does the beef hang?
    • How is the beef wrapped, and when and where do I pick up?

FAQ

Does Michigan have state-inspected meat processors?

No. Michigan has no state meat inspection program, so USDA FSIS handles inspection.[1][2]

Can a custom-exempt processor sell me beef?

Not beef it cut under the custom exemption. That beef goes back to the animal's owner for the owner's household and is marked "Not for Sale."[2][4] Some plants do both custom and USDA-inspected work, and only the inspected beef can be sold.[4]

Beef Share Finder isn't the seller and doesn't check each farm's or processor's licenses or inspection status. This is general information, not legal, financial or health advice. Before you buy, ask the farm and processor how the beef will be processed and sold. For questions about Michigan rules, contact the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD).

Find a farm: 48 Michigan farms selling beef shares · Related: Beef cut sheet explained

Sources

  1. Federal Register, Vol. 46, No. 172, p. 44417 (Sept 4, 1981), "Designation of State of Michigan Under Federal Meat Inspection Act." https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/fedreg/fr046/fr046172/fr046172.pdf and https://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/apply-grant-inspection/state-inspection-programs/states-and-without-inspection-programs
  2. Michigan State University Extension, "Direct marketing of locally produced meats offers opportunity for livestock producers." https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/direct_marketing_of_locally_produced_meats_offers_opportunity_for_livestock
  3. Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, "Federal Meat and Poultry Inspection in Michigan." https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/food-dairy/retail-industry-resources/federal-meat-and-poultry-inspection-in-michigan
  4. eCFR, 9 CFR 303.1, Exemptions. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-9/chapter-III/subchapter-A/part-303/section-303.1
  5. Beef Share Finder, Michigan farm data, checked Oct 27, 2026. https://beefsharefinder.com/data/farms-michigan.json
  6. USDA FSIS, Meat, Poultry and Egg Product Inspection Directory. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/establishments/meat-poultry-and-egg-product-inspection-directory
  7. MDARD, "Farmers Markets" FAQ. https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/faqs/food/farmers-markets

General information, not financial, legal or health advice.

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