Daniel Jackson Meat Processing

Daniel Jackson Meat Processing operates at 5164 County Road 49 in Ranburne, Cleburne County, Alabama, under USDA FSIS establishment numbers M1728 and P1728. The federal record lists meat slaughter, meat processing, poultry slaughter, and poultry processing activities, with cattle, hogs, and sheep and lamb reported as species slaughtered under inspection. FSIS classifies the plant as Very Small, with a grant of inspection date on file of August 25, 2023, and a slaughter volume category of under 1,000 head per year. The plant also reports custom-exempt slaughter, in which animals owned by the customer are processed and packaged marked Not for Sale, and retail-exempt sales.

The plant is the processing arm of Daniel-Jackson Farms, described on its website as a third generation family-owned operation founded in 1973 as Ledbetter's Feed Mill. The business today includes a feed mill, a cattle farm, and a butcher shop. The Butcher Shop at DJ Farms launched in 2021 and is located on the Daniel-Jackson Farm grounds. The website says the facility was built to serve the family farm along with other farms in the area, and that custom processing is offered for those who choose to process their own animal.

Addresses differ between sources. FSIS lists 5164 County Road 49, Ranburne, AL 36273, while the farm website gives a visiting address of 1117 Co Rd 112, Ranburne, AL 36273. Phone numbers also differ: FSIS lists (256) 463-9841 and the website contact page lists (256) 568-3176 with the email danieljacksonmeatprocessing@gmail.com. Hours, prices, booking lead times, and retail counter details are not stated in the sources on file.

The website states that the facility was created to service the Daniel-Jackson farm along with other farms in the area, and that custom processing is offered for those who choose to process their own animal. FSIS records confirm both federally inspected slaughter and custom-exempt slaughter, with cattle, hogs, and sheep and lamb reported as species slaughtered under inspection, plus poultry slaughter and processing activities. Reported slaughter volume is under 1,000 head per year and FSIS classes the plant as Very Small, so scheduling capacity is limited. Booking procedures, lead times, minimums, kill and cut fees, hanging weight pricing, and cut and wrap options are not stated in the sources on file. Farmers should call to confirm current availability and note that FSIS lists (256) 463-9841 while the website lists (256) 568-3176.

Daniel Jackson Meat Processing 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.

Daniel-Jackson Farms describes beef raised on its own multi-generational cattle farm, bred, born, and raised on the farm, raised on grass and finished on grain, with no antibiotics and no growth hormones. The website says the farm is validated by a third-party company that performs an annual audit of the animals, farm, and facilities, and states the cattle are certified all-natural and age and source verified. The plant reports retail-exempt sales to FSIS. Details on a retail counter, halves and quarters, bundles, online ordering, delivery, or shipping are not stated in the sources on file.

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.