Poultry

One of the largest areas of growth in on-farm processing and sales has been in the production of
pastured poultry. Pastured poultry is a production model where broiler chickens are raised
predominantly on pasture in some form of movable structure. Due to the relatively small
numbers of birds per farm and the seasonality of this production system, it can be difficult to find
poultry processors to handle these birds. Additionally, almost all USDA poultry plants in New
York are operated by private packers who do not slaughter or process birds for other farmers
regardless of the season or volume.

1. Mobile Facilities for Marketing Under the 1000 Bird Exemption

Starting in the mid 1990’s several Mobile (Poultry) Processing Units have been designed and
built for use in New York State by poultry farmers marketing their own birds under the 1000 bird
exemption from federal inspection. These units are basically open trailers with poultry
processing equipment mounted onto them. The operational concept is similar to that of an
individual going to an equipment rental store and renting whatever equipment was needed to do
the particular job on the farm. The trailers can be pulled by small pickup trucks either belonging
to the poultry farm or the actual owner of the unit – which is often a non-profit agency providing
services to farmers. Rental prices are based on the volume of birds to be processed or on a per
bird price. In addition, there is usually a transportation fee depending on the distance the unit has
to travel between the farm and its storage area. In most cases, farmers must replenish the
scalder’s propane tank after use.

The units are usually intended to assist first year poultry producers with processing while they
save up money to invest in their own stationary processing equipment and become proficient at
safe and sanitary slaughtering and processing procedures. Participating farmers usually go
through a training program on sanitary poultry slaughtering and processing. Many inexperienced
processors will assist an experienced farmer operating the unit before they are able to rent the
unit for use on their own farms.

One of the first mobile units was manufactured by the South Central New York Resource
Conservation and Development Agency (SCNY RC&D). The unit was made by stripping a
camper trailer to its frame, welding expanded metal to the frame and reinforcing it with
additional angle iron. The processing components were then attached. These components
included 5 poultry crates for containing live birds, 5 poultry kill cones to ensure correct bleeding,
a propane fired scalder (capable of handling 3 to 4 birds at a time), a 3 to 4 bird barrel-type
feather picker, a stainless steel evisceration table, chill tanks for processed birds, knives and
scales. A 20-foot long tarp was included to provide shade and protection from the elements.
There were also hookups for 110-volt electricity and water. Approximate construction cost for
the MPU in 1995 was $3000 not including the 70 hours of labor required to assemble the unit.

2. Mobile Units for Custom Slaughter/Processing

Mobile units are allowed for custom processing of poultry under the same limitations as any
other custom transaction, i.e. the slaughtered or processed birds must be for the personal use of
the owner. The unit would need to be inspected by the state (under contract with USDA FSIS)
for prior approval.

3. Mobile Units for NY 5-A Poultry Plants

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets has interpreted the definition of
places and establishments where animal or poultry are butchered for food in the NY Agriculture
& Markets (NYAM) Law to include mobile slaughter units. Therefore, New York State is
willing to accept the operation of 5-A mobile poultry plants under Article 5-A of the NYAM
Law. Such mobile units must satisfy the requirements of poultry farmers operating under the
Producer/Grower – 20,000 bird exemption from federal inspection. In addition, farmers
operating under the Producer/Grower – 1,000 bird exemption (only processing 1000 birds or less
per calendar year to be marketed direct to consumers), may also rent the services of these mobile
units but would not need to apply for a 5-A license.

The units are often fully enclosed trailers with similar design and equipment to stationary 5-A
poultry plants. One such mobile unit, approved in New York and intended to operate in the
Hudson Valley region, is owned by Wildcraft Farms. The farm’s owner, Ed Leonardi, plans for
individual poultry farmers to go through a certification training program so that they could
supply the labor when the mobile unit is on their farm. He estimates that it would take 6 to 8
people to process 500 chickens per day – with most farms only being able to supply enough labor
to process 250 chickens per day. The farms would supply the propane, electricity, and potable
water for the unit on-site and their own air compressor for operating the onboard dunker-scalder.
Farms would need a level pad to park the unit and sufficient driveway clearance for an 8.5 x 28
ft. trailer. The unit was made by retrofitting a new 2-car transport trailer with steel rather than
aluminum walls. The unit is outfitted with a shackle system, killing tunnel, dunker-scalder,
picker, hand wash sink, double sink, evisceration table, quality assurance table, bagging table
and two chill tanks on wheels. Additional equipment includes an on-demand hot water heater,
pressure pump, space heaters, and air conditioner. The unit obtained a waiver from the 5-A
requirement for separate rooms for kill and evisceration in part because of the use of a killing
tunnel.

Kentucky State University uses a refitted gooseneck trailer to provide slaughter/processing
facilities to poultry farmers operating under the 20,000 bird exemption. The unit does not go
from farm to farm. Instead, it was granted an exemption by the USDA FSIS Administrator from
the requirement that a facility operating under a 20,000 bird exemption be limited to slaughtering
for only one poultry owner at a given location. The trailer is docked at one of two centralized
docking stations that are tied-in to septic, potable water and 220-volt electrical systems. The
docking stations operate as fully enclosed kill floors and the trailer operates as the evisceration
room. Rather than renting the services of mobile unit employees for the days, farmers are
required to undergo rigorous training in the plant’s HACCP plans and standard operating
procedures in order to operate as facility manager on their scheduled slaughter/processing days.

There are several steps a New York farmer needs to go through to use a poultry mobile
slaughtering unit (PMSU) under an Article 5-A license. The farmer must 1) consult with local
zoning officials for an approved plan for operating a PMSU, 2) consult with zoning officials for
an approved plan to dispose of inedible waste, 3) develop a NYSDAM approved floor plan for
the PMSU – the operator/owner of the PMSU usually provides this, 4) have the water which will
supply the PMSU, tested for potability, and 5) submit documentation of the above to the
NYSDAM FSI (Food Safety and Inspection) Region Chief Inspector for approval. An Article 5
A License application can then be forwarded upon approval of documents. After review of the
establishment/farm’s facilities, including access to a toilet facility, the Department may consider
a facility variance from certain requirements; provided that the mobile unit has met Department
approval and the establishment /farm acknowledges the unit’s operator as an employee of the
establishment/farm as so stated pursuant to Article 5-A of Agriculture and Markets Law. Please
note, the Article 5-A License is issued to the poultry farmer’s premises; not to the PMSU.

Establishments/farms employing a PMSU must maintain compliance with the NYSDAM PMSU
Protocol, and are responsible for ensuring the mobile unit is clean and sanitized before it enters
the premises and, cleaned and sanitized before the unit leaves the premises.

The NYSDAM Division of Food Safety Inspection developed an easy-to-read protocol for the
licensing of PMSUs in 2009. This protocol is reproduced verbatim below.

(FSI-1120A 10/09)

NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets
Division of Food Safety & Inspection
10B Airline Drive
Albany, NY 12235

Poultry Mobile Slaughtering Unit Protocol

Establishments intending to utilize a Poultry Mobile Slaughtering Unit (PMSU) must adhere to
the following guidelines:

1. The operator of the Poultry Mobile Slaughtering Unit shall arrange to meet with the Zone
Supervising Inspector or Regional Chief Inspector to discuss their plans for their poultry
mobile slaughtering unit. The operator shall submit a floor plan of their proposed operations
to the Meat and Poultry Supervisor and/or the Zone Supervisor prior to the meeting. The unit
floor plan shall include but not be limited to the following:

 Dimensions of the unit.

 Location of the hand wash sink, and equipment washing and sanitizing sinks within the
unit.

 Location of refrigeration equipment.

 Location of hot water and potable water supply.

 Location of water storage facilities or outlet.

 Location of entrance/exit.

 License number of vehicle(s).
Note: Potable water source and discharge of wastewater must be approved in writing by the
appropriate county or state health department.

2. The establishment/farm leasing the poultry mobile slaughtering unit slaughtering more than
250 turkeys or 1,000 birds of all other species must be inspected and licensed by the
Department of Agriculture and Markets, pursuant to the regulations of Article 5-A, of the
Agriculture and Markets Law.

3. Only after review of the establishment/farm’s facilities, including access to a toilet facility,
the Department may consider a facility variance from certain requirements, provided the
mobile unit has met Department approval and the establishment/farm acknowledges the
unit’s operator as an employee of the establishment/farm as so stated pursuant to Article 5-A
of the Agriculture and Markets Law.

4. The operator of the poultry mobile slaughtering unit and the licensee shall be required to
keep the following written records:

 Names and addresses of establishments/farms leasing the mobile slaughtering unit and
dates used.

 Production records indicating the species and number of poultry processed for retail sale
and wholesale.

 Standard Sanitation Operating Procedure (SSOP) log for each day processing occurs.

 Water quality verification.

5. Finished product (wrapped, encased) labeling shall contain the establishment/farm’s name,
address and the statement “Exempt P.L. 90-492.”

6. The operator of the poultry mobile slaughtering unit will be required to fax to the appropriate
Regional Chief Inspector or Zone Supervising Inspector their tentative monthly slaughtering
schedule at the beginning of each month.

7. The poultry mobile slaughtering unit operator and the licensee must consult with local zoning
officials before commencing the operation of the poultry mobile slaughtering unit.

For more information, contact any NYSDAM Regional Office at:

Mobile Units for USDA Federal Inspected or USDA Equivalent Poultry Plants

The Vermont Department of Agriculture operated a USDA equivalent state inspected mobile
poultry unit for use by farmers in their state for several years. This unit consisted of a completely
enclosed 8’ x 36’ trailer with separate kill and eviscerating rooms, tiny onboard bathroom and
office for state inspectors (rarely if ever used), ice machine, onboard generator, and onboard
propane tanks for the hot water and scalder. The unit was towed with an F-550 truck. Most of the
equipment was purchased through Cornerstone Farm Ventures in Norwich, New York.99 The
unit, valued at approximately $93,000, was manufactured by Brothers Body & Equipment in
Ohio and leased to a private operator under a two-year renewable contract with a buy-out option.
The Vermont Department of Natural Resources granted a variance so that the mobile unit could
manage wastewater when on-farm as a farm operation. Farmers rented the unit and the operator’s
services. The operator could process 100 birds per day. However, the unit was designed to
employ two people processing 200 birds per day.

Unlike Vermont, New York does not have provision for USDA equivalent state inspected meat
plants. Thus, NY farmers and funding agencies wanting to operate a similar mobile unit under
USDA federal inspection would need to contact the USDA FSIS District Office in Albany to
discuss the likelihood of similar prototypes being approved as mobile USDA poultry plants in
New York.