USDA, WSDA and FSIS are government organizations that regulate the slaughtering and butchering of meat. We utilize each to serve different purposes: WSDA for pre-sold bulk orders; USDA for farmers markets, out of state orders and customers who don't wish to order in bulk; and FSIS in order to cut and wrap meat in our onsite butcher shop. Read on to learn how each pertains to Windy N Ranch.
USDA
The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) requires that government employed inspectors oversee the process of unloading, killing, cutting and wrapping of all animals being processed. Said processing must be done at a USDA certified facility. Once packaged, USDA cuts can be sold to individuals, restaurants, stores, customers who reside across state lines, and at farmers markets.
While most of us have seen searing images of factory slaughter facilities where the animals are hoisted onto a conveyor belt or hung from a hind leg, the facilities we use are NOT that. They are relatively small “mom and pop” shops, and we take care in selecting USDA facilities that are certified AWA (Animal Welfare Approved) and observe the organization’s requirements for humane dispatchment. Since opening our own on-site butcher shop, we only utilize USDA for slaughter; dry aging, cutting and wrapping is done in our shop. Learn more HERE.
WSDA
WSDA (Washington State Department of Agriculture) is an exemption that saves small ranches from the more costly USDA requirements. WSDA slaughter takes place on-site via a mobile kill facility. The meat is then dry-aged, cut, wrapped and frozen in our butcher shop.
WSDA orders are not allowed to be shipped or distributed outside Washington State. Another key requirement for WSDA is that the animal must be sold to a customer prior to the kill. The deposit, which we collect when you place your bulk order of whole, half, quarter or eighth, satisfies this requirement. Meat must also be priced by live weight. Learn more HERE.