The State Meat Inspection Program will help farmers and ranchers provide
inspected meat products to consumers that meet the same regulatory safeguards that the USDA requires, but on
a local scale. Previously, all meat products offered for wholesale sales had to come from a federally
inspected source.
This program covers the slaughter and processing of:
- Cattle
- Swine
- Sheep
- Goats
- Exotic species as defined in the rule
The slaughter and processing of poultry and rabbits are not covered at this time.
Federal versus state inspection
The USDA Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) did have primary jurisdiction over most meat establishments.
Except for custom exempt slaughtering, the Federal Meat Inspection Act requires all amenable species such as
cattle, swine, sheep, and goats, to be slaughtered under continuous FSIS inspection. The processing of meat
and poultry products for wholesale sales is also often subject to continuous USDA inspection.
Under the new State Meat Inspection Program, businesses that operate and sell within Oregon can now sell
state-inspected meat products in Oregon just like federal plants. For example, small businesses can now
provide inspected meat products to customers and not have to rely on federally inspected plants to process
the meat.
Administrative rules have been developed for the Oregon program that are equal to the federal requirements.
The Oregon Administrative Rules (603-029)
can be found online.
Licensing
Most food processing establishments that slaughter, process, or sell meat products are required to have some
type of ODA Food Safety license. Licensing does not change under the State Meat Inspection Program.
Additional licensing is not required if your license already covers your operations.
If you already have a meat license issued by ODA, you can request an application to apply to the State Meat
Inspection Program.
Note: A meat license does not automatically mean you are operating under the State Meat Inspection
Program.
Applying for a State Meat Program Grant of Inspection
- Step 1: Request and submit an application
- To get an application, email your request to: StateMeatInspection@oda.oregon.gov.
- An application will be sent directly to you and the completed form can be submitted to the same
email address or mailed to ODA.
- Step 2: ODA will schedule a meeting to go over requirements, visit and review the facility, and
provide assistance to determine what you need.
- Step 3: Develop your HACCP and SOPs plans.
- Step 4: Reach out to ODA to schedule a review of plans and an on-site review.
- Step 5: ODA inspector will do an on-site review to issue a conditional grant of inspection.
- Step 6: Begin to operate under the State Meat Inspection Program.
- Step 7: Work with your state inspector to obtain a permanent grant of inspection
Your State Meat Inspection Program inspector will be available to assist you through all steps of this
process.
Requirements to operate
The following requirements must be met to operate under the State Meat Inspection Program. They are necessary
to make sure all meat products produced under the program are safe, unadulterated, and properly labeled.
Review the frequently asked questions below for more information.
- Each establishment must develop written sanitation standard operating procedures (sanitation SOPs),
that describe the procedures for maintaining a sanitary work environment.
- Each establishment must have a hazard analysis conducted and develop a written hazard analysis and
critical control points (HACCP) plan that covers the types of operations being conducted.
- Each facility must receive an onsite initial review to verify structural integrity of the facility
and equipment, as well as general sanitary conditions of the building, rooms, equipment, and
grounds.
- Each official establishment must be separate and distinct from any unofficial
establishment.
- Sewage must be disposed into a sewage system separate from all other drainage lines or disposed of
through other means sufficient to prevent backup of sewage into areas where product is processed,
handled, or stored. When the sewage disposal system is a private system requiring approval by a
state or local health authority, the state-inspected establishment must furnish ODA with a letter of
approval from that authority.
- The water used in the facility must comply with the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR part
141) and a water potability certificate maintained on file. If an establishment is connected
to a municipal water system, the annual water certificate from the municipality is acceptable
documentation to demonstrate water potability. If a private well is used, a water sample must be
submitted to a water quality laboratory every 6 months and be tested for total coliform and fecal
coliform bacteria to demonstrate water potability.
Label requirements for state inspected products
When you apply for state meat inspection, your business is assigned a unique “establishment number” that
only your business can use on your labels. This is not the same number as your license number. This
unique number identifies that the meat being offered for sale was produced under the State Meat
Inspection Program.
- All carcasses from animals slaughtered under state inspection must be ink-branded with the
Oregon meat inspection legend (official mark), which includes the unique establishment
number.
- All packaged meat products must have the Oregon meat inspection legend, with the unique
establishment number, printed on the label.
- No label can be used on any state inspected product unless the label has been submitted for
approval to ODA for approval.
ODA non-discrimination policy
As a cooperative partner with USDA-FSIS, the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), Meat
Inspection Program is committed to fair and equal treatment of all customers regardless of race,
color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability. ODA is an equal opportunity
service provider. To file a complaint of discrimination directly with the ODA, contact
Rusty Rock at 503-986-4720. Read the USDA non-discrimination statement and complaint filing
procedures here.
View USDA’s “And Justice for All” non-discrimination statement here.
The ODA-Meat Inspection Program provides reasonable accommodation and program accessibility to
persons with disabilities and individuals with a limited proficiency in English. Program
information and materials are available free of charge and upon request
in alternate formats and languages other than English.
Visit https://www.oregon.gov/pages/accessibility.aspx. For
more information email us at StateMeatInspection@oda.oregon.gov.
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