Chenoa Locker, Inc.

Chenoa Locker, Inc. is a very small USDA-inspected establishment, number M20855, at North Veto St. in Chenoa, McLean County, Illinois. FSIS lists the plant for both meat slaughter and meat processing, with cattle, hogs, and sheep and lamb reported as species slaughtered under inspection. The grant of inspection date on file is August 26, 2021. The plant also reports custom-exempt slaughter, in which animals owned by the customer are processed and packages are marked Not for Sale, and it reports retail-exempt sales. Its FSIS slaughter volume category is 2.0, above the smallest category of under 1,000 head per year.

The company website describes a small town, family owned butcher shop that has served the community for over 45 years. The stated main focus is custom processing of sides and quarters of beef and pork, with processing pages also covering lamb, goat, and venison. The shop keeps retail cuts in a case and makes pre-cooked deli meat, sausages, sticks, and hot dogs at the plant. Private labeling is offered for customers who intend to sell their meat. The website gives the address as 113 N. Veto St., while the FSIS record lists North Veto St. with P.O. Box 31, and a Yelp listing shows 8 N Veto St.

The website states that the only drop-off location is the Chenoa plant itself, and that orders must be placed in person or over the phone, since email orders may not be confirmed and no online orders are taken. After-hours deer check-in contacts are listed. Hours are not stated on the company website; a third party listing shows weekday hours of 7:30 am to 5:00 pm, which is not confirmed by the plant.

The plant is listed with FSIS for both slaughter and processing of cattle, hogs, and sheep and lamb, and also reports custom-exempt slaughter, so animals owned by a customer can be processed with packages marked Not for Sale. The website says custom processing of sides and quarters of beef and pork is the main focus, with lamb, goat, and venison also handled, and cut sheets can be downloaded from the beef and pork pages. Scheduling is by phone or in person; email is for information only. The only drop-off location is the Chenoa plant at 113 N. Veto St. The website states a cancellation policy: without 48 hours notice for beef or pork slaughter dates, the charge is $100 per beef or $50 per hog, and customers who decline the fee will have future dates removed from the calendar. The plant explains this is because of a long waiting list of farmers seeking dates. A storage policy gives customers 9 days from notification to pick up, after which storage is $5 per week per quarter beef or half hog, $20 per week for a whole beef and $10 per week for a whole hog, with product left one year donated to local food pantries. Private labeling is available for farmers selling their own meat.

Chenoa Locker, 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 shop keeps a full stock of retail cuts in its case along with pre-cooked deli meat, sausages, sticks, summer sausage, and hot dogs made at the plant. Households can also buy sides and quarters of beef and pork through custom processing. Four 40 pound bundles are listed at $325.00 each: a hind quarter bundle, a front quarter bundle, a variety bundle, and a grilling bundle, with contents itemized on the website and prices subject to change without notice. Bundle and price list items are sold only as listed, with no substitution of steaks for roasts or the reverse. Orders must be placed in person or over the phone; the website states no online orders are taken. Delivery and shipping are not mentioned.

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.