Spruce Hill Meats

Spruce Hill Meats is a very small USDA-inspected establishment at 8556 147th Ave SW in Bowman, North Dakota, operating under establishment numbers M2156 and V2156. The federal record lists meat slaughter and meat processing, along with voluntary slaughter and voluntary processing of meat, with a grant of inspection date on file of January 4, 2024. Species reported slaughtered under inspection are cattle, hogs, sheep and lamb, goats, and bison. FSIS places the plant in slaughter volume category 1.0, meaning under 1,000 head per year.

The plant also reports custom-exempt slaughter, in which animals owned by the customer are processed and the packages are marked Not for Sale, and it reports retail-exempt sales. Its website describes the business as a locally owned and operated custom and retail USDA-inspected processing facility, and states that USDA inspection allows it to process producers' animals for farm-to-table resale. The site names Chad and Michelle and Bill in connection with the family running the business.

An in-house retail counter offers fresh locally raised beef, pork, and smoked products. The website states that all in-house beef and pork are raised by the owning family or by local producers, and it emphasizes source-verified product. A published price list, per pound and updated March 20, 2025, notes that prices are set according to the USDA Weekly Retail Beef Activity Report for the region and are subject to change. Hours, booking practices, and processing fees are not stated in the sources on file.

The federal record lists slaughter of cattle, hogs, sheep and lamb, goats, and bison under inspection, plus custom-exempt slaughter for animals the customer owns, where packages are marked Not for Sale. Because the plant holds a USDA grant of inspection, its website states that producers' animals can be processed for farm-to-table resale. The website says product is cut to customer specifications. FSIS classifies the plant as very small with a slaughter volume under 1,000 head per year, so capacity is limited. Booking lead times, scheduling procedures, kill and cut-and-wrap fees, hanging weight charges, and drop-off requirements are not stated in the sources on file. Contact the plant at (701) 523-4799 or through the website contact form to confirm availability as listed.

Spruce Hill 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.

Spruce Hill Meats operates an in-house retail counter with fresh locally raised beef, pork, and smoked products, according to its website. A per-pound price list is published online and was updated March 20, 2025, with prices described as set according to the USDA Weekly Retail Beef Activity Report for the region and subject to change. Listed items include steaks, roasts, ground beef, bacon and pork cuts, patties, summer sausage, snack sticks, jerky, and brats. The website states that in-house beef and pork are raised by the owning family or by local producers and that source-verified meat is available. Sales of halves and quarters, bundles, delivery, shipping, and online ordering are not described 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.