Cherokee Nation Meat Processing, LLC

Cherokee Nation Meat Processing, LLC operates in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, in Cherokee County, and does business as 1839 Cherokee Meat Co. The plant holds establishment number M1007 and is listed with FSIS for both Meat Processing and Meat Slaughter, with a grant of inspection date on file of May 24, 2023. FSIS classes it as a small establishment and reports cattle and sheep and lamb slaughtered under inspection, with a slaughter volume category of under 1,000 head per year. The federal record also shows custom-exempt slaughter, meaning animals owned by the customer returned in packages marked Not for Sale, and retail-exempt sales.

The company website describes the operation as locally owned and operated within Cherokee Nation and as a Cherokee Nation Business operation. The name refers to the 1839 constitution that united the Cherokee Nation, and the site states a mission of food security for Cherokee citizens, ranchers and communities. The site says the business manages approximately 200 head of cattle and 250 bison of its own. Species handled for processing are listed as beef, pork, lamb, goat and deer, and the home page also mentions bison and wild game processing. Deer processing has been suspended at times, and the site states that the 2025-26 deer season has closed and that deer processing is temporarily closed due to high demand.

An onsite retail shop sells beef, pork, chicken, bison, bratwurst and apparel, with a published price list. Online ordering is described as coming soon. The website lists a phone number of 918.207.3688 and an email of info@1839cherokeemeatco.com, while the FSIS record lists (918) 384-7879.

The website publishes cut sheet pricing by species. Beef carries a $100 harvest fee, processing at $0.80 per pound on hanging weight, inspected processing at $0.90 per pound on hanging weight, and a $400 minimum. Pork is listed as custom only with a $40 harvest fee, $0.75 per pound processing, a smoke and cure fee of $0.90 per pound, breakfast sausage at $0.30 per pound, and a $100 minimum. Lamb and goat each carry a $40 harvest fee, $0.75 per pound processing, $0.85 per pound inspected processing, and a $100 minimum. Drop-off for beef, pork, sheep and goat is either 2 to 4 p.m. the day before scheduled processing or 9 a.m. the day of scheduled processing. The site states no online scheduling or appointments are available, and that dates and times are subject to change depending on demand. Beef and other carcasses are hung as long as possible for dry aging, with smaller or leaner carcasses cut within five days of slaughter and organs cut and packaged the day of slaughter. FSIS lists cattle and sheep and lamb as species slaughtered under inspection; goat and swine slaughter are not listed in the federal record, and pork work is described on the website as custom only.

Cherokee Nation Meat Processing, LLC 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.

An onsite retail shop is open to the public five days a week, as listed, and sells beef, pork, chicken, bison and bratwurst along with caps and t-shirts. The website publishes per pound prices for individual cuts, for example ground beef at $6.25 per pound, bone-in ribeye at $18.50 per pound and thick cut bacon at $7.99 per pound. Online orders are described as coming soon, with sign-ups and Facebook noted for updates. Halves and quarters, bundles, delivery and shipping 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.