Midsouth Packers, LLC

Midsouth Packers, LLC operates at 2682 Highway 42 South in Forsyth, Monroe County, Georgia, under FSIS establishment numbers M47028, P47028 and V47028. The federal record lists meat processing, meat slaughter and poultry processing activities, a Very Small size class, and a grant of inspection dated November 3, 2021. Species reported slaughtered under inspection are cattle, hogs, and sheep and lamb, with 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 packages are marked Not for Sale.

The establishment website describes the operation more narrowly, stating that MidSouth Packers currently processes beef and offering the choice of product processed under inspection or custom exempt for home use. Work is by appointment only. Cattle are received between 7:00 A.M. and 9:00 A.M., and the site states all cattle must be able to walk off the trailer. At drop-off, customers are asked to sign a Drug Residue and Age of Animal form, and the plant asks to be told if any animal is over 30 months of age because that requires special handling.

The About page is written by owner Joseph Egloff, who states he owns and operates MidSouth Packers, LLC, and built the plant to relieve the processing bottleneck for his own farm to table cattle operation, Rocking Chair Ranch Cattle. He credits Rob Martin and Peter Williams of the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center with advising the project, and says the plant opened after almost four years of work. The name honors Mid-South Packers in Tupelo, Mississippi, a now closed packing house where his stepfather worked. Contact details differ between sources: FSIS lists (478) 731-6262, while the website lists (478) 993-7535 and the email MidSouthPackers@gmail.com.

The plant works by appointment only and asks farmers to review the pricing and cut sheets, request an appointment, and bring completed cut sheets to the appointment. Cattle are received from 7:00 A.M. to 9:00 A.M. and must be able to walk off the trailer. Farmers sign a Drug Residue and Age of Animal form at drop-off, and must disclose animals over 30 months of age. Posted beef prices are a $35.00 kill fee plus $1.40 per pound for both market cut and custom cut, with a $100.00 kill fee for cattle over 30 months as determined by the inspector and a $50.00 kill fee for cattle under 600 pounds as determined by scales. Additional charges listed are boxes at $2.50, patties at $1.00 per pound, a $25.00 new custom set fee for a basic label, $100 for a custom label requiring federal approval, and a to-be-determined charge for product left over 7 days. The site notes additional charges for special requests could apply. The website says farmers from across the Southeast use the plant. No booking lead time, deposit, or minimum head count is stated.

Midsouth Packers, LLC 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 sources do not describe a retail counter, halves or quarters, bundles, online ordering, or shipping to household buyers. The website is directed at farmers bringing their own cattle, with market cut beef described as vacuum-sealed, inspected and ready for resale, and custom exempt processing available for home use. Households seeking meat would need to contact the plant or buy from a farmer who has product processed here.

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.