A Few Legal Notes

It is important that you understand the regulations regarding on-farm animal slaughter. Below are excerpts directly from the Meat Regulation 31/05 under the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs.

As such, we reiterate that we (Field to Fork Butchering) are providing a service only; not selling any meat. We also require that meat we have processed be used for personal consumption only and not for distribution or sale.

What is the Meat Regulation?

Regulation 31/05 (Meat) under the   Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001 is administered by the Ontario Ministry of   Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). Its purpose is to help ensure   that meat processed for consumption in Ontario meets food safety requirements.   The regulation sets out requirements to ensure that animals are fit for   slaughter, handled humanely and processed under sanitary conditions. All   species of mammals and birds, raised in captivity and whose meat is intended   for human consumption, are included in the regulation.

Under the regulation, all meat   destined for sale or distribution, without exception, must originate from   livestock or poultry slaughtered in provincially licensed or federally   registered establishments, or imported from a federally recognized source.

In Ontario, no one can sell, transport, deliver or distribute meat unless:

· The animal was   inspected prior to slaughter (ante mortem), approval for slaughter in   accordance with the Meat Regulation, and the carcass was inspected following   slaughter (post mortem) and was approved for use as food in accordance with   the Meat Regulation or the regulations under the Meat Inspection Act   (Canada);

· The animal was   slaughtered in a plant operated by a provincially licensed operator or a   federally registered establishment; and

· The meat is   stamped, labelled or tagged with an inspection legend.

In addition, no person can operate a   slaughter facility without a licence.

Producers can slaughter animals and process the carcasses on the   farm at any time of the year and are exempt from the Meat Regulations,   provided all the following conditions are met:

· The animals must be slaughtered for   consumption by the producer or the producer's immediate family only,

· The slaughter must be performed on the   producer's premises by the producer, a person acting on the direction of the   producer or a certified examiner; and;

· The meat must be consumed only by the   producer or the producer's immediate family on the producer's premises.

The meat from an animal slaughtered under this option cannot be   sold, delivered, distributed, or transported off the farm under any   circumstances.

A producer exempt from the Meat Regulations, who meets all   criteria described above, is not prohibited from hiring the services of a   butcher to conduct cutting and wrapping activities on the farm where the   animal was slaughtered. The meat cannot be sold, delivered, distributed, or   transported off the farm under any circumstance.