Tag: USDA-inspected facility

Interested in starting a meat processing business? Whether you’re early in your research, planning to open a new plant, or expanding an existing operation, explore our blog for practical information, real-world guidance, and stories of hardworking Americans who are getting after it.

At Friesla, we’re helping farmers, ranchers, and entrepreneurs build independent meat processing businesses in communities across the country. Explore our resources on starting a meat processing business, the basics of meat processing, USDA inspection requirements, available grants and funding opportunities, and other practical information on building and running a successful operation.


Beef half carcass tagged with lot and traceability number hanging in a cooler.

Explained: 4 Types of Inspection for Meat Processors

There are many steps to moving a finished animal from pasture or feedlot to steak on a plate. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates…

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Friesla Friesla Mobile Harvest Unit on Five Marys Ranch used for slaughtering beef in the winter. Harvest Unit on Five Marys Ranch used for slaughtering beef in the winter.

Q&A Session: USDA Grants & Mobile/Modular Meat Processing Equipment

Two meat processing grant programs are in the spotlight in summer 2023: USDA’s Local Meat Capacity Grant Program (Local MCap) and Indigenous Animals Harvesting and…

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Friesla clients Brian and Mary Heffernan from Five Marys Ranch on their ranch in Fort Jones, California.

Client Story: Five Marys Ranch

Brian and Mary Heffernan knew that starting a meat processing business would be challenging. “Nothing is easy,” Brian quips. “If it were, everyone would do…

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Butcher team skinning a Black Angus beef cow in a Friesla mobile harvest trailer.

Q&A Session: Mobile Harvest Units & Small Processing Plants

Wondering how to start and operate a small meat processing plant or Mobile Harvest Unit? Learn straight from the source. Hear about the background, operations,…

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Butcher breaks down a beef carcass in the Cut and Package Module of a Friesla Meat Processing System.

Client Story: Bear Mountain Beef

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mac and Celsie Sussex—owners of Bear Mountain Beef in Hawk Springs, Wyoming—faced both a problem and an opportunity.…

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