AZ Rabbits
Active member
After speaking with the USDA and having fun researching, thought I'd share some info...
Aside from state regulations, selling rabbit meat falls under the USDA also has different requirements than beef, poultry, pork, etc. The better known meats (beef, poultry, etc) are under the free inspection umbrella. That means that a USDA inspector shows up once a day, unannounced and makes sure all is well. You don't have to pay the inspector to do this (beyond the other standard fees). However, rabbits do not fall under this category. If you are processing rabbit meat for human consumption, you have a pay a UDSA inspector to be at your plant, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. This include pay, benefits, holiday pay if necessary, etc. So more or less, you pay a full time babysitter a good salary with benefits. This is why there are only a couple rabbit meat processing plants in the US. The same thing happened with the Ostrich farms at first. It took 10 years for Congress to change their status and become a free inspection status. Rabbit has a long way to go...
Link to USDA information (use this link because it allows monthly updates): http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/te ... Findex.tpl
Go to Title 9
Then 300-599
Then 354.1-354.348
And don't forget 391.1 to 391.5
And of course 416.1-416.17
And then 417.1-417.8
And all the other sections that are relevant...
Happy reading!
Aside from state regulations, selling rabbit meat falls under the USDA also has different requirements than beef, poultry, pork, etc. The better known meats (beef, poultry, etc) are under the free inspection umbrella. That means that a USDA inspector shows up once a day, unannounced and makes sure all is well. You don't have to pay the inspector to do this (beyond the other standard fees). However, rabbits do not fall under this category. If you are processing rabbit meat for human consumption, you have a pay a UDSA inspector to be at your plant, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. This include pay, benefits, holiday pay if necessary, etc. So more or less, you pay a full time babysitter a good salary with benefits. This is why there are only a couple rabbit meat processing plants in the US. The same thing happened with the Ostrich farms at first. It took 10 years for Congress to change their status and become a free inspection status. Rabbit has a long way to go...
Link to USDA information (use this link because it allows monthly updates): http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/te ... Findex.tpl
Go to Title 9
Then 300-599
Then 354.1-354.348
And don't forget 391.1 to 391.5
And of course 416.1-416.17
And then 417.1-417.8
And all the other sections that are relevant...
Happy reading!