Aurora Packing Company, Inc.

Aurora Packing Company, Inc. operates a USDA-inspected cattle slaughter and meat processing plant at 125 S. Grant St. in North Aurora, Illinois, in Kane County. The establishment holds federal number M788 and is classified by FSIS as small, with a grant of inspection date on file of March 28, 2022. FSIS activity records list both meat slaughter and meat processing, with cattle as the species slaughtered under inspection, and place the plant in slaughter volume category 3.0. The plant reports both halal and kosher slaughter to FSIS. No custom-exempt activity is reported.

The company website, aurorabeef.com, presents the business as Aurora Angus Beef, describing itself as a purveyor of Black Angus beef and stating "the best in Black Angus since 1939." The site says the company hand selects choice and prime cuts trimmed for marbling, and that it works in partnership with Midwest farmers and producers. A published intended-use notice states that all primal and subprimal beef cuts produced under establishment 788 are intended for cooking to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit and are not intended for grinding.

Sales are described as wholesale. The site states the company sells directly to distributors and wholesalers around the world, with some stores and restaurants carrying its products, and lists separate contacts for domestic sales, international sales, and cattle procurement. Hours, retail counter availability, and terms for individual animal drop-off are not stated in the sources on file.

The federal record lists cattle as the species slaughtered under inspection and reports no custom-exempt activity, so the plant is not recorded with FSIS as doing custom processing for individual owners. The website describes a cattle procurement department with a named contact, and states that the company works in partnership with Midwest farmers and producers, indicating the plant buys cattle rather than advertising toll or custom kill service. Booking procedures, minimums, fees, and cut and wrap terms are not stated in the sources on file. Producers with cattle to sell would need to contact the cattle procurement department directly.

Aurora Packing Company, Inc. operates under a federal grant of inspection, so product from this plant can be sold anywhere in the United States, which matters if you sell online or across a state line. FSIS does not list a custom-exempt activity for this plant.

The sources describe wholesale sales only. The website states that Aurora Angus Beef sells directly to distributors and wholesalers, with products available at some stores and restaurants, and points visitors to a "find Aurora Beef" page rather than to direct online ordering. No retail counter, halves or quarters, bundles, shipping, or home delivery are described in the sources on file. The company publishes a safe handling notice stating that its primal and subprimal cuts are for cooking to 160 degrees Fahrenheit internal and are not intended for grinding.

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.