Wood's Meat Processing, Inc.

Wood's Meat Processing, Inc. operates at 482169 Highway 95 in Sandpoint, Bonner County, Idaho, under FSIS establishment numbers M8120, P8120, and V8120. The federal record lists meat processing, meat slaughter, and voluntary processing and slaughter for both meat and poultry, with a grant of inspection date on file of July 22, 2021. FSIS classes the plant as small and lists cattle, hogs, sheep and lamb, and bison among species slaughtered under inspection, in 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, and reports retail-exempt sales.

The website describes the business as a USDA-inspected slaughter, processing, and smoked meats operation. It grew out of the Wood V-X Ranch, founded in 1940 by Riley and Gladys Wood in the Gold Creek area north of Sandpoint, with the V-X brand registered with the State of Idaho in 1941. The original 960-acre property was purchased by Jim and Virginia Wood in the mid 1950s and expanded by later generations into the Selle Valley. The site states the plant is today co-owned by Jody Russell and Todd Russell, with a workforce of about 20 employees including family members and long-time employees, and describes each animal as inspected by a full-time USDA inspector.

Beef sold by the plant is described as sourced from the V-X Ranch and other local ranches, raised on the family's pastures and fed corn, barley, peas, and home grown grass hay, and described on the site as steroid and hormone free. The site says Wood's meat is also carried at Yokes, Super 1, Miller's Country Store, and other local stores and restaurants. Hours listed on the website are 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday, closed Saturday and Sunday, as listed.

The website states that Wood's offers custom processing for producers who have raised their own animals for home use or for resale, and that the plant works with producers on labeling and processing of their own animals. Custom work is described as specialty processing with cuts tailored to the customer, and the site invites calls or email regarding custom processing rather than listing set options. Beef processed and sold by the plant comes from the V-X Ranch and other local ranches. The federal record shows cattle, hogs, sheep and lamb, and bison slaughtered under inspection, plus voluntary slaughter and processing for meat and poultry, and custom-exempt slaughter with Not for Sale packaging. Scheduling lead times, kill day availability, minimums, hanging weight fees, and cut and wrap rates are not stated in the sources on file.

Wood's Meat Processing, Inc. 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 website describes a small retail area at the plant where customers can buy fresh and frozen cuts of beef, pork, buffalo, and elk along with a range of smoked products. A refrigerated case is described as holding precooked items such as smokies, beef strips, ham, and pepperoni sticks, and prepackaged steaks, roasts, sausage, ground beef, and patties are also listed. Bundles ranging from 30 to 80 pounds are offered at a discounted rate, including all beef, all pork, or mixed packages such as the Ranchers Special (70 pounds), Butchers Special (30 pounds), Beef and Pork Special (50 pounds), Pork Variety Pack (40 pounds), BBQ Special (50 pounds), Locker Bundle (50 pounds), and Bacon and Sausage Special (25 pounds). Customers may come in to place a custom order by cut, thickness, and quantity, or call ahead for pickup. The site says sales are run regularly in the store, and that Wood's meat is also stocked at Yokes, Super 1, Miller's Country Store, and other local stores and restaurants. Shipping and delivery are not mentioned. Prices are not 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.