Mobile Poultry Processing Unit
The Community Agricultural Center in collaboration with WSU Stevens County Extension received a grant from Washington State Department of Agriculture to design, build and test a mobile poultry processing unit. This unit is now in operation and has been used in Stevens, Pend Oreille and Ferry counties. The unit is under inspection by the Washington State Department of Agriculture and permits the farmer to sell poultry or rabbit anywhere in the State of Washington with the appropriate license.
The poultry or rabbit grower needs to obtain a food processing license and an inspection from WSDA Food Safety Department for commercial use of the unit. We have all the forms needed to obtain the license. The only additional requirement is a satisfactory water sample test. These requirements are quite easy to meet and Al Kowitz with Community Ag will work with the grower to meet these regulations. Al Kowitz can be reached at 509 499-1360 or by email at akowitz@communityagcenter.org
The processing unit travels to the farm. The producer will pick up the unit, typically in Colville, and take it to their farm. The producer is responsible for transporting the unit, for their own crew, and for cleaning the unit. New producers will be trained on the unit at the appropriate time (typically before a large processing event). Contact Al Kowitz for scheduling the unit and for needed training.
This slide show gives both outside and inside views of the unit.
Questions..from Snohomish County.. this is great info. Who did the design, who built it, how much does it cost to use?? Could a farmer build this and just have is more or less stationery at their own farm.? Does the USDA inspector have to be site during the processing? We do USDA cows and pigs, sheep and the USDA inspector comes with the unit.
I would appreciate more info
Thank you
Jackie Macomber