Meat and Poultry

I would like to sell meat in BC. What is involved?

You must be a licensed processor or have your meat processed in a provincially licensed abattoir, which are found throughout the province. These establishments are identified with a BC#, and permitted to slaughter and are required to have a Meat Hygiene Inspector present to inspect animals before and after slaughter.

A Farmgate or Farmgate PLUS licensed is for on farm slaughter and is restricted to certain parameters of the license obtained.

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FARMED Members - Licensed Abattoirs

Echo’s Reach - FarmGate PLUS

Map of BC licensed facilities

I would like to purchase meat produced in BC. Where can I find information?

All meat sold in BC must be processed in a licensed facility. Meat processed in provincially licensed facilities may only be sold in BC.

You may find local meat at farm gate, your farmer’s market, a local butcher shop or even a local restaurant. All producers must ensure their products are properly packaged, labelled and stored according to BCCDC and local health authority guidelines.

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Can locally produced meat be sold to schools, retirement homes, hospitals in my community?

This would depend on the institutions’ supply chain model. Smaller producers/processors may not have the capacity to fufill larger scale consistent supply of product. It may also be cost prohibitive when such things as infrastructure, transport, staffing and more are factored into a for profit business model.

This FeedBC guide is for producers/processors but provides excellent information for consumers as well

BC Food Guide

Slaughter

The BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food is responsible for Meat Inspection and Licensing in the province. The ministry’s Meat Inspection Program issues abattoir licences under the Meat Inspection Regulation of the BC Food Safety Act.

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resources for abattoirs

The BCCDC Food Safety and Food Security programs set policies and guidelines for handling, transportation, distribution and storage of meat products for human consumption.

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The Canadian Food Inspection Agency handles inspection and enforcement of regulations to safeguard food, animals and plants ensuring the health and wellbeing of people, environment and economy. This includes the safe handling and transport of slaughter animals.

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Distribution and Consumption

Where you sell or buy meat products in BC will depend upon where and under what licensing the production falls. Federally licensed abattoirs and processing facilities are able to distribute across Canada and export to other countries. In BC, depending on an establishments’ licensing, meat products can be sold at farm gate or a farmer’s market direct to consumer, from a permitted food establishment ie; restaurants, butcher shop, local grocer. Trends are leaning toward direct to consumer model rather than the conventional approach of distributing food products.

	Animal production
	BC Chicken Marketing Board
	Small Scale Meat Producers Association
	BC SPCA
	BC Turkey Marketing Board

BC Cattlemen’s Association
BC Pork
Organic Grower
BC Meats

Meat and Poultry Production

Summary of purchasing and selling meat in BC

I would like to sell meat in BC. What is involved?

I would like to purchase meat produced in BC. Where can I find information?

Can locally produced meat be sold to schools, retirement homes, hospitals in my community?

Find Out More

Find out more (continued)

Slaughter

Processing/Packaging & Transport

Waste Management

Distribution and Consumption