Griggstown Quail Farm

Griggstown Quail Farm, which does business as Griggstown Farm, operates at 484 Bunker Hill Road in Princeton, Somerset County, New Jersey. The federal record lists establishment numbers M20826, P20826 and V20826, with FSIS activities covering meat processing, poultry processing, poultry slaughter, and voluntary inspection for meat, poultry and rabbit processing plus voluntary poultry and rabbit slaughter. FSIS classes the plant as very small, lists poultry as the species slaughtered under inspection, and shows a slaughter volume category of 3.0. The grant of inspection date on file is July 23, 2021. The plant also reports custom-exempt processing and retail-exempt sales to FSIS.

According to the farm's website, George Rude began raising quail on two acres in the village of Griggstown in 1975 and purchased the land in 1992, by which time the operation had grown to more than 65 acres of preserved farmland raising pheasants, quail and chickens, along with Mallard and Muscovy ducks, turkeys and partridge in season. The site states the birds are raised free of growth hormones and antibiotics, cage free and free range. The farm says it houses a USDA processing plant that processes poultry five days a week, and that it also operates a USDA kitchen, expanded from 600 square feet to more than 4,500 square feet, where prepared foods are made using some produce grown on the farm. A sustainable compost system was built with USDA NRCS to handle manure, vegetable and kitchen food waste.

The farm sells to customers and businesses in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia. Its website names D'Artagnan Inc. of Newark as its prime distributor and lists New York stores and area restaurants that carry its poultry. A farm market opened in 2002, and a USDA-certified kitchen area was added in 2004. Contact numbers differ between sources: the plant reports (908) 359-5375 to FSIS, while the website lists 908-359-5218 for the office and store with extensions, and a fax of 908-359-5754. The website does not describe terms for outside livestock or poultry owners bringing animals for processing, so details beyond the federal record on that point are not on file.

The federal record shows Griggstown Quail Farm reports custom-exempt processing along with federally inspected poultry slaughter and processing, and voluntary inspection for meat, poultry and rabbit. The website describes the plant as processing the farm's own poultry five days a week and does not state whether outside growers can book slaughter or cut and wrap work, nor does it list scheduling windows, minimums or fees. Farmers should call to confirm availability. The FSIS phone on file is (908) 359-5375; the website lists an office line of 908-359-5218.

Griggstown Quail Farm 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 Griggstown Farm Market on the farm opened in 2002 and sells fresh and frozen poultry, game and quail eggs direct from the farm, along with prepared foods made in the on-site USDA kitchen, including chicken, turkey, beef and vegetarian pot pies, shepherd's pie, poultry sausages, roasted chickens, seasonal soups, chili, sauces and fruit pies. Extensive Thanksgiving and holiday menus are offered seasonally in the market and on the website, and the site says all products can be ordered by phone or in person. Turkeys are sold mainly at Thanksgiving and the farm advises ordering early because it sells out each year. Pheasant is listed as available in the store from October until March. The website also notes prices shown online are mail order prices, and farm raised poultry and game can be purchased at local farm markets during spring, summer and autumn.

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.