Back 40 Butchery

Back 40 Butchery operates at 2316 Dixie Drive in Hodges, South Carolina, in Greenwood County, under USDA FSIS establishment number M46060. The federal record lists the plant for meat slaughter and meat processing, classifies it as very small, and shows a grant of inspection dated July 27, 2021. Cattle and hogs are the species reported as slaughtered under inspection, with an annual slaughter volume category of under 1,000 head. The plant also reports custom-exempt slaughter, in which animals owned by the customer are processed and packaged marked Not for Sale, and reports retail-exempt sales.

The website describes the operation as a USDA-inspected facility specializing in domestic pigs and cattle, offering both custom and inspected processing. All animals are processed entirely at the Hodges facility. Beef carcasses are dry-aged 10 to 21 days, cuts are handcrafted by the plant's butchers, vacuum-sealed, and blast frozen. The site posts cut sheets and a booking form for scheduling a date.

For retail buyers, the website advertises locally raised Angus beef through a partnership with Yon Family Farms of Ridge Spring, South Carolina, sold as whole or half beef shares priced by grade. Phone numbers differ between sources: the federal record lists (864) 374-3574 while the website lists (864) 374-3571.

The website states the plant processes domestic pigs and cattle, with custom and USDA-inspected options. Posted pricing is a slaughter fee of $100.00 for beef and $100.00 for pig, with processing at $1.40 per pound for custom beef or pig and $1.60 per pound when inspected for resale, based on carcass hanging weight. Beef carcasses are dry-aged 10 to 21 days, and cuts are vacuum-sealed and blast frozen. Dates are booked through a form on the site asking for species, quantity, and desired month and year. The federal record shows a very small plant slaughtering under 1,000 head per year. No minimums, deposits, or lead times beyond that are stated in the sources.

Back 40 Butchery 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 website sells beef shares sourced from Yon Family Farms in Ridge Spring, South Carolina, available as whole or half, cut and packed to customer specifications using the posted cut sheets. Listed pricing is $13.00 per pound for Prime, $11.50 per pound for Upper Choice, and $11.00 per pound for Choice, based on final take home weight. Orders are placed through a form on the site. The federal record notes retail-exempt sales. The sources do not describe a storefront retail counter, delivery, or shipping.

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.