The short answer
| Type | Who can eat or buy it | Package marking |
|---|---|---|
| Custom-exempt | The owner, their household, nonpaying guests and employees. Cannot be sold or donated. | “Not for Sale” |
| Texas state-inspected | Can be sold, but only inside Texas. | Texas mark of inspection |
| USDA-inspected | Can be sold anywhere in the U.S., in person or online. | USDA mark with the plant’s establishment number |
Custom-exempt processing
Federal law lets a plant slaughter and process cattle, sheep, swine or goats for the animal’s owner without inspection, but only for use “in the household of such owner” by the owner, household members, nonpaying guests and employees (9 CFR 303.1(a)(2)). The meat must be marked “Not for Sale” in letters at least 3/8 inch high, and it can’t be sold or donated.
A rancher can still sell the live animal, or a share of it, before slaughter. The buyer then owns the animal when it is processed and takes the meat home for their own household.
USDA-inspected processing
At a federally inspected plant, a USDA inspector examines each animal before and after slaughter, and the plant runs under a food safety plan that FSIS verifies. The finished packages carry the round USDA mark of inspection with the plant’s establishment number. That mark is what lets you sell meat by the cut, supply restaurants and grocers, and ship across state lines.
A federally inspected plant may also do custom-exempt work, as long as custom product is kept separate from product for sale and equipment is cleaned and sanitized between them. Creek Ranch does both: tell us “custom” or “commercial” when you book.
Texas state inspection
Texas runs its own program through the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Meat Safety Assurance unit. Products marked “Texas Inspected and Passed” are for intrastate sales only. Texas does not take part in the federal Cooperative Interstate Shipment program, so only USDA-inspected meat can be sold to customers in other states.
What the numbers in “M2146+V2146” mean
Every inspected plant has an establishment number. “M” marks a meat establishment. A “V” number means the plant is also approved for USDA’s reimbursable inspection services, such as export certification or voluntary inspection of species like bison (FSIS Directive 12600.1). FSIS lists Creek Ranch’s activities as meat slaughter, meat processing and export certification; the listing is public in the FSIS establishment directory.
Which one do you need?
- Filling your own freezer, or selling live animals and shares to buyers: custom-exempt is fine.
- Selling cuts, boxes or ground beef to the public, a market or a restaurant: USDA-inspected (or Texas-inspected if every sale is in Texas).
- Shipping or selling to other states: USDA-inspected only.
Planning to sell? Read selling beef by the cut in Texas.
Sources
- 9 CFR 303.1, custom exemption: eCFR
- 9 CFR 316.16, “Not for Sale” marking: eCFR
- Texas DSHS Meat Safety Assurance: dshs.texas.gov
- Texas A&M AgriLife, state-inspected meat across state lines: agrilife.org
- FSIS Directive 12600.1, reimbursable inspection services: fsis.usda.gov
This guide explains general rules and is not legal advice. Check with DSHS or FSIS for your situation.