Country Meats Inc.,

Country Meats Inc., doing business as Arcadia Meats, operates at 102 Main Street in Arcadia, Iowa, in Carroll County. The plant holds establishment numbers M2104 and V2104 and is listed by USDA FSIS under Meat Processing, Meat Slaughter, Voluntary Processing for meat and rabbit, and Voluntary Slaughter for meat and rabbit. FSIS classifies it as Very Small, with a grant of inspection date on file of December 20, 2023, and a slaughter volume category of under 1,000 head per year. Species slaughtered under inspection as reported to FSIS are cattle, hogs, sheep and lamb, and elk or deer. 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 business website describes processing of beef, pork, buffalo, elk, lamb, and goat, and states that custom processing has been a main focus for over 30 years. The site refers to CIS federal inspection for beef, pork, lamb, or goat, which it explains allows inspected product to cross state lines for sale. A search snippet drawn from the site describes the facility as licensed and state inspected and a member of the Iowa Meat association; the federal record lists it under FSIS establishment numbers, so buyers should confirm the current inspection arrangement directly with the plant.

The contact page describes the business as a family tradition. It states that Grandpa Irv and Steve purchased Arcadia Meats in 1976, that Irv and Steve sold the business in 1980, and that Steve and Linda purchased it back in 1985 and have owned the facility since. A separate page states the business was founded in 1975 with a gap from 1980 to 1985. Irv created Irv's Jerky and worked with Steve until his death in 1996. The site is signed by the Julins.

The website states that custom processing has been a main focus of the business for over 30 years and covers beef, pork, buffalo, elk, lamb, and goat, with CIS federal inspection available for beef, pork, lamb, or goat so inspected product can be sold across state lines. Producer scheduling requires a deposit of $80 per large species and $20 per small species at the time of scheduling; the deposit is credited back on the customer invoice and is non-refundable if the animal is cancelled or the scheduled date is missed. The site notes the deposit and refund policy can change at the discretion of Arcadia Meats. Posted processing cost estimates, all subject to change, are: beef quarter $250 to $350 and whole $1,000 to $1,400; pork half $150 to $300 and whole $250 to $600; lamb $150 to $250; goat $150 to $250; buffalo $500 to $900; elk $400 to $800. The site states costs rise when extras such as sticks, jerky, patties, and sausages are made, and asks producers to call for a more accurate estimate. FSIS lists slaughter volume under 1,000 head per year, so capacity is small.

Country Meats 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 retail storefront carries fresh steaks, ground beef, beef sticks, pork products, meat and cheese, grocery items, ice, seasonings, milk, bread, and Irv's Jerky. The site asks customers to call for prices and availability and references a beef and pork retail product list with prices. The plant also distributes through area grocery, convenience, and specialty stores in Iowa and surrounding states, and the site invites shoppers to ask their local store to carry the products. The site says the business can help buyers purchase beef, pork, or other species through federally inspected slaughter and processing. Home delivery or shipping is not stated.

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.