The Agriculture Department is holding another in its series of mobile slaughter unit information sessions today in Fort Collins, CO as part of its “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” initiative.  The session will focus on red meat slaughter.

Mobile slaughter units are self-contained slaughter facilities that can travel from site to site.  Regional small livestock producers can take advantage of slaughter services provided through these units at local host farms.  Livestock slaughtered at the units include cattle, hogs, sheep and goats.

According to a USDA press release, “The goals of this information session are to educate farmers, ranchers and processors on how to operate mobile slaughter units and meet USDA food safety requirements.”

Inspection issues that are unique to mobile slaughter units will be addressed during the session, which will take place from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. MDT at the Colorado State University Taylor Conference Center.  

USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service Administrator Al Almanza commented, “This information session will educate small producers and processors on establishing mobile slaughter units and how to ensure the safety of the products so that they can receive the USDA federal mark of inspection.”

More mobile slaughter unit resources are available on the USDA Website.