Howard & Son Meatpacking

Howard & Son Meatpacking operates at 8392 Sharon-Mercer Road in Mercer, Pennsylvania, in Mercer County, under USDA FSIS establishment number M17681. The federal record lists the plant for both Meat Processing and Meat Slaughter, with a grant of inspection on file dated August 16, 2013. FSIS classifies the establishment as Very Small, and its reported slaughter volume falls in the lowest category, under 1,000 head per year.

The only species reported to FSIS as slaughtered under inspection is sheep and lamb. The establishment also reports custom-exempt slaughter, meaning it handles animals owned by the customer and returns the meat in packages marked Not for Sale, and it reports retail-exempt sales. A directory listing gives a founding year of 1984, and the phone number on file is (724) 662-3700.

No website is on file for this establishment, and no verified description of its services, hours, pricing, or product line was available. Details beyond the federal record and the address and phone number are not yet on file. One search result appears to describe a restaurant with reservations and a menu, which does not match the federal record for this plant and is not treated as reliable here.

The federal record lists Howard & Son Meatpacking as a slaughter and processing establishment reporting sheep and lamb slaughter under inspection, plus custom-exempt slaughter of animals owned by the customer. A producer hauling lambs would be working with a Very Small plant in the lowest FSIS volume category, under 1,000 head per year. Booking practices, lead times, minimums, kill day schedules, cut and wrap options, and fees are not stated in any source on file, so a producer should call (724) 662-3700 to confirm what is offered and whether work is being accepted.

Howard & Son Meatpacking 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 establishment reports retail-exempt sales to FSIS, which allows direct sales of meat to household customers, but no source on file describes a retail counter, halves and quarters, bundles, online ordering, delivery, or shipping. Households should call (724) 662-3700 to ask what is available for purchase.

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.