Stillwater Packing Co.

Stillwater Packing Co. operates at 42 Hersrud Road in Columbus, Montana, in Stillwater County, under FSIS establishment numbers M6271, P6271, and V6271. The federal record lists meat processing, meat slaughter, poultry processing, and voluntary processing and slaughter activities, with a grant of inspection date on file of May 4, 2022. FSIS classifies the plant as very small, and its reported slaughter volume category is under 1,000 head per year. Species reported slaughtered under inspection are cattle, hogs, and sheep and lamb.

The plant reports both custom-exempt slaughter, in which animals owned by the customer are processed and packaged marked Not for Sale, and retail-exempt sales. A third-party business listing describes the operation as offering custom and retail slaughter, with fresh beef, pork, and lamb, and mentions seasonings. That same listing carries unverified user-supplied labels, including an organic and women-owned notation, which are not confirmed by the federal record.

A search snippet from Emmett's Montana Meats states that the family behind that business acquired Stillwater Packing Co., and directs meat processing inquiries to Stillwater Packing Co. while noting that wild game is not processed. Beyond these items, details such as hours, booking practices, pricing, and cut and wrap options are not yet on file.

The federal record shows slaughter under inspection for cattle, hogs, and sheep and lamb, plus custom-exempt slaughter for animals owned by the customer, with resulting packages marked Not for Sale. FSIS lists the plant as very small with a slaughter volume category of under 1,000 head per year, so capacity is limited. A related business, Emmett's Montana Meats, directs meat processing inquiries to Stillwater Packing Co. and states that wild game is not processed. Booking procedures, lead times, minimums, kill fees, and cut and wrap charges are not stated in the sources on file. Call (406) 322-5666 to confirm current availability, as listed.

Stillwater Packing Co. 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 plant reports retail-exempt sales to FSIS, and a third-party listing describes custom and retail slaughter with fresh beef, pork, and lamb, along with seasonings. Whether a retail counter is staffed, and whether halves, quarters, bundles, delivery, shipping, or online ordering are available, is not stated in the sources on file.

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.