Byler's Custom Meats

Byler's Custom Meats operates at 5300 Wax Rd. in Clarkson, Grayson County, Kentucky, under USDA establishment numbers M2588 and P2588. FSIS lists the plant for meat slaughter, meat processing, poultry slaughter, and poultry processing, with cattle, hogs, sheep and lamb, and poultry reported as species slaughtered under inspection. The federal record classifies the establishment as Very Small, shows a grant of inspection date of 2025-09-14, and places it in slaughter volume category 2.0. The plant also reports custom-exempt slaughter, in which animals owned by the customer are processed and packaged with Not for Sale marking, and reports retail-exempt sales.

The website describes the business as a butcher, custom processor, and retailer of local meat and produce, serving customers from Clarkson, Leitchfield, Elizabethtown, and the Nolin Lake area. According to the custom processing page, farmers and hunters in Grayson County used the same operation under the name C&C Processing for more than 12 years before the name change to Byler's Custom Meats. The site states the facility is full service and able to process over 30 head of beef weekly, handling anything from a single deer to a herd of cattle. Beef, hog, and deer are the species named for custom work on the website; the federal record additionally lists sheep and lamb and poultry slaughter under inspection.

A Facebook listing associated with the business describes it as a USDA processor and a Kentucky Proud member. Details beyond what is stated on the website and in the federal record, including prices, booking lead times, and ownership history, are not on file. Nothing here should be taken as confirmation that the plant is currently accepting work; contact the establishment directly.

The website directs farmers and hunters to call first to discuss processing needs, stating the facility handles anything from a single deer to a whole herd of beef cattle and can process over 30 head of beef weekly. Animals are tagged, weighed, and tracked on arrival, and the site states that the tag number follows the animal from the truck to the final packaged product with weights tracked throughout, so customers receive their own animal back. Customers fill out a cut sheet to specify cuts, including grind ratios such as 70/30 or 90/10 burger mix. Meat generally hangs for a week to ten days after slaughter, with pickup of fresh or frozen product typically within 14 days. Sausage can be made with the customer's own seasoning mix, and deer can be made into jerky, snack sticks, or summer sausage. The plant reports both USDA-inspected slaughter and custom-exempt slaughter to FSIS, so producers selling meat by the cut should confirm which path applies to their animals. Prices, deposits, minimums, and scheduling lead times are not stated in the sources.

Byler's Custom Meats 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 farm store sells fresh meats, local produce, and regional goods and preserves at the Clarkson location. The meat counter is described as carrying aged and fresh beef cuts, house-made sausages and cured meats, pork including bacon and loins, chicken and turkey, and seafood such as local catfish and Southern shrimp, alongside seasonal fruits and vegetables. The website also offers bulk meat sourcing, stating that customers can order a quarter cow or a half pig through the business, which partners with local farmers. Online ordering, shipping, and delivery are not mentioned 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.