Crowes Butcher Shop

Crowes Butcher Shop is a very small establishment in Henagar, DeKalb County, Alabama, operating under USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service establishment numbers M47151 and V47151. The federal record lists meat slaughter, meat processing, food inspection, and voluntary slaughter and processing of meat, with a grant of inspection date on file of April 29, 2022. Species slaughtered under inspection are reported as cattle, hogs, and sheep and lamb. FSIS places the plant in slaughter volume category 1.0, meaning under 1,000 head per year.

The plant reports custom-exempt slaughter, meaning it can process animals owned by the customer with packages marked Not for Sale, and it also reports retail-exempt sales, which covers direct sales of meat to household buyers at the establishment.

The website on file, crowesmeatprocessing.weebly.com, is presented under the name Crowe Meat Processing and states EST. 1979, describing a family owned and operated custom meat processing plant serving the Henagar area, run by Don and Helen Crowe. That site carries a Permanently Closed notice in its navigation and gives an address of 6710 Burton Dr., Valley Head, AL 35989, formerly 6710 AL-HWY 40, with a note that the address says Valley Head but the business is in Henagar. The federal record lists a different address, 66 County Road 845, Henagar, and a different phone number, (256) 657-5327, while the website lists 256.657.5511 for booking during hours. A search snippet attributed to a Crowe's Meat Processing Facebook page also references a closing announcement. Buyers and farmers should confirm current operating status and location directly. Details beyond the federal record and this website text are not on file.

The federal record reports custom-exempt slaughter, so animals owned by a farmer or household can be processed with packages marked Not for Sale, alongside federally inspected slaughter of cattle, hogs, and sheep and lamb. The website states processing is offered for beef, hogs, goat, and sheep, and lists downloadable cut sheets for beef, pork, and goat or sheep. Prices listed on the website are slaughter at $90 per animal, processing at $0.95 per pound hanging weight, and a $100 flat fee for sheep and goat. The website states deer are not accepted and refers deer work to another processor. Booking is described as by phone during hours. Minimums, lead times, and current pricing are not otherwise stated, and the website carries a Permanently Closed notice, so status should be confirmed.

Crowes Butcher Shop reports custom-exempt slaughter to FSIS, which means it can process an animal a customer already owns (a whole, half, or share bought before slaughter) and return it in packages marked Not for Sale. Most small farms have one or two plants they book with, and the plant's calendar decides the delivery date.

The plant reports retail-exempt sales to FSIS, which allows direct sales of meat to household buyers. The website states fresh pork products are sold weekly and lists pork at $3.00 per pound and pork ribs at $2.50 per pound, with products described as free of preservatives, additives, and dyes. No retail hours, bundles, halves and quarters, delivery, shipping, or online ordering are described in the sources, and the website carries a Permanently Closed notice.

If you are buying a half or quarter animal, the plant is where the animal is processed; the farm sells you the animal. Read how to buy a half cow for the sequence and the math.