Briardale Ostrich Farms

Briardale Ostrich Farms operates at 17575 NW 144th Ave in Okeechobee, Florida, under USDA FSIS establishment numbers M1641+P1641. The federal record lists meat slaughter, meat processing, poultry slaughter, and poultry processing activities, a Very Small size class, and a grant of inspection date on file of April 9, 2025. Species detail is not reported to FSIS. The plant reports both custom-exempt slaughter, in which animals owned by the customer are processed and packages are marked Not for Sale, and retail-exempt sales. Its FSIS slaughter volume category is 1, meaning under 1,000 head per year.

The operation's website presents it as a single-species ostrich farm rather than a general-purpose service plant. The site states that its ostriches are bred, laid, incubated, hatched, raised, slaughtered, and processed on a 326 acre farm in Okeechobee, and describes pasture raised, regenerative practices in central Florida. The Our Story page credits Joey Imbesi, who is described as having an agricultural and horse farming background and as having converted a former cattle ranch into an ostrich operation.

Sales are handled through an online store offering ostrich steaks, burger patties, ground ostrich, a starter package, and gift cards, with shipping calculated at checkout. At the time the site text was captured, listed items showed as sold out. Contact information differs between sources: the federal record lists (305) 807-3566, while the website contact page lists 215.510.2103 and joey@briardaleostrichfarm.com. Hours, retail counter details, and any custom processing terms for outside customers are not stated in the sources on file.

The federal record shows that this establishment reports custom-exempt slaughter, meaning it processes animals owned by the customer with packages marked Not for Sale, and its FSIS activities include both meat and poultry slaughter and processing. A secondary directory listing describes it as providing slaughter and processing services in Okeechobee serving farms. However, the establishment's own website is built entirely around its own ostrich herd, which it says is raised, slaughtered, and processed on its 326 acre farm, and it does not state booking procedures, lead times, minimums, kill fees, cut and wrap charges, or which species it accepts from outside producers. Species detail is not reported to FSIS. A farmer considering hauling animals here should contact the plant directly to confirm what work it takes in.

Briardale Ostrich Farms 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.

Households can order through the establishment's Shopify store, which lists ostrich steaks in several cuts, burger patties, ground ostrich, a starter package, and gift cards, with tax included and shipping calculated at checkout. Listed prices at the time of capture included ground ostrich and burger patties at $18.00, pearl cut filet from $21.95, outside strip filet at $45.95, tenderloin from $52.95, inside strip filet at $55.00, fan filet from $55.95, and the starter pack at $225.95. Many items showed as sold out when the site text was captured. The site describes selling directly from farm to table without a third-party distributor. No retail store hours, on-farm pickup details, or halves and quarters options are stated in the sources.

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.