Keeping Meat Safe and Delicious at a USDA Slaughterhouse
As a USDA certified slaughterhouse, we hold ourselves to a higher standard of food safety and quality. We believe that everyone should be able to trust the food they’re eating, and that the meat they buy should be good quality. That’s why we’re committed to elevating our food safety practices above and beyond USDA minimum standards.
We work hard to maintain the high quality standards that Southwest Michigan knows us for. But if you’re not already familiar with USDA standards, you may be wondering how important those standards are. That’s why we’re taking this month’s blog post to discuss the steps we take to meet USDA slaughterhouse certification standards.
Why USDA Slaughterhouses Are So Important
Before we discuss the ins and outs of being a USDA slaughterhouse, we want to touch on the importance of the USDA. For context, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the government body that makes sure food services like meat processing are done with the public’s interest in mind (among other things).
Back in the late 19th century, industrialization had turned the United States into a giant of manufacturing and processing. Suddenly, mass production had made essential goods both cheap and widely available for Americans everywhere. But there was a problem: there weren’t any guidelines or enforcers to ensure those goods were high quality. As a result, mass factory farming often created poor-quality food items, which led to a sharp uptick in foodborne illness. So, as a consumer protection, the USDA was formed.
Today, the USDA continues to uphold its mission: ensuring that food is cultivated ethically and only sold at a high quality. As a USDA slaughterhouse, we share that mission.
Standards of a USDA Slaughterhouse
The USDA performs a series of inspections before giving a butcher the title of USDA slaughterhouse. Some of those inspections are for:
Animal Health. The USDA inspects the animals to make sure they’re being treated ethically and that they’re healthy. While animal health naturally impacts the quality of the meat, both we and the USDA always ensure animals are treated with the respect they deserve.
Sanitation Standards. Even if a cut of meat is USDA Prime, once it touches unsanitary equipment it’s not safe to eat anymore. That’s why the USDA requires written, strictly maintained sanitation plans for certified butchers.
Meat Inspection. Most importantly, the USDA inspects the meat before it’s sold in order to ensure that it’s safe for human consumption. At this stage, the inspectors also ensure that the meat is the quality it’s marketed as and properly labeled.
At Pease Packing, we believe that every butcher should be held to standards of quality, food safety, and ethics. That’s why our customers throughout Kalamazoo and beyond put their trust in us every day. To order your own high quality cuts of meat from a trusted USDA slaughterhouse, click here to contact us today.
