Ruwaldt Packing Co.

Ruwaldt Packing Co. operates under USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service establishment number M5502 at 6510 E. Ridge Rd. in Hobart, Indiana, in Lake County. FSIS lists the plant for both Meat Processing and Meat Slaughter and classifies it in the small size category, with a grant of inspection date on file of October 15, 2021. The species reported slaughtered under inspection is sheep and lamb, and the plant is placed in FSIS slaughter volume category 3.0.

The federal record also shows that the establishment reports custom-exempt processing, retail-exempt sales, and halal slaughter. That combination means an animal owner may be able to have livestock processed for their own use under the custom exemption, while inspected product can move through retail-exempt channels. No website is on file for the establishment, and no website text was available for this record.

Third party business directories list the plant under meat packing and meat wholesale categories, and one processor directory describes it as offering custom beef processing for farmers and ranchers in the region. The species the plant reports to FSIS for slaughter is sheep and lamb, so buyers and producers should confirm which species are handled before hauling animals. Beyond the federal record and these directory listings, details such as hours, ownership, pricing, cut and wrap options, and retail offerings are not yet on file.

FSIS lists Ruwaldt Packing Co. for meat slaughter and meat processing, with sheep and lamb reported as the species slaughtered under inspection, and the plant reports custom-exempt processing and halal slaughter. A secondary processor directory describes the plant as offering custom beef processing for farmers and ranchers in the region, which does not match the species reported to FSIS, so a producer should call (219) 942-2911 to confirm species accepted, scheduling, lead times, fees, and cut and wrap arrangements. Booking terms, minimums, and drop-off procedures are not stated in the sources on file.

Ruwaldt Packing Co. reports custom-exempt processing 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 establishment reports retail-exempt sales to FSIS, which can indicate some direct sales of meat, and directory listings place it in meat packing and meat wholesale categories. No retail counter details, bundles, halves or quarters, delivery, shipping, or online ordering are stated in the sources on file. Households should call the listed phone number to ask what is available.

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.