Little Colorado Meats (Mobile Slaughter Unit)

Little Colorado Meats operates a mobile slaughter unit listed with USDA FSIS under establishment number M345, at County Road #4128 #154 in Eagar, Apache County, Arizona. The federal record lists both meat slaughter and meat processing activities, with cattle, hogs, and sheep and lamb reported as species slaughtered under inspection. FSIS classifies the plant as very small, with a slaughter volume category of under 1,000 head per year, and the grant of inspection on file is dated February 12, 2023. The establishment also reports custom-exempt processing, the arrangement used when an owner's animal is returned to that owner rather than sold.

The plant's website describes Little Colorado Meats as a project of the Foundation for Little Colorado Revitalization, formed in response to conditions in Apache County where the number of family ranchers has been shrinking, USDA-inspected processing capacity is described as extremely limited, and over 90 percent of livestock raised in the county leaves the area. The stated aim is to create new markets for local livestock producers while improving local access to quality meat. The site says meats are sourced from producers' pastures in nearby communities, are traceable to the producer who raised them, and are hormone-free and antibiotic-free.

The website lists a phone number of 928.316.6328 for meat sales, a mailing address of P.O. Box 1195, Springerville, AZ 85938, a contact form, a Facebook page, and links labeled Shop Now and Good Food Finder. A secondary listing describes the operation as Arizona's first USDA-inspected mobile meat harvest unit and processor, located in the White Mountains. Hours, pricing, scheduling terms, cut and wrap details, and a published cut sheet are not stated in the sources on file.

The federal record lists Little Colorado Meats as a mobile slaughter unit reporting cattle, hogs, and sheep and lamb slaughtered under inspection, plus custom-exempt processing, so a rancher may be able to arrange either inspected harvest for resale or custom work returned for personal use. FSIS places the operation in the under 1,000 head per year volume category, which indicates limited annual capacity. The website frames the business around connecting local ranchers with local consumers in the Little Colorado River region and states that meats are traceable to the producer who raised them. Booking procedures, lead times, minimums, drop-off or on-farm harvest arrangements, kill fees, and cut and wrap charges are not stated in the sources on file. Producers should call 928.316.6328 to confirm current availability and terms.

Little Colorado Meats (Mobile Slaughter Unit) reports custom-exempt processing 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 website lists a phone number for meat sales, 928.316.6328, and includes a Purchase Meat section along with a Shop Now link and a Good Food Finder link, indicating that meat is offered to consumers. The site states that meats are sourced from local producers' pastures, are traceable to the ranch of origin, and are hormone-free and antibiotic-free. Specific cuts, bundles, halves or quarters, box sizes, prices, delivery, and shipping are not described in the sources on file, so households should contact the business directly to confirm what is available.

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.