Hampton Meat

Hampton Meat, listed with USDA FSIS as Hampton Meat doing business as Whisper Creek Farm LLC, operates at 216 Breeden Drive in Decatur, Meigs County, Tennessee. The federal record lists establishment numbers M19716 and V19716, a grant of inspection dated December 8, 2014, and FSIS activities of food inspection, meat processing and meat slaughter. Species slaughtered under inspection are reported as cattle, hogs, and sheep and lamb. FSIS classes the plant as very small and places its slaughter volume in the lowest category, under 1,000 head per year. The plant also reports custom-exempt slaughter, in which animals owned by the customer are processed and packages are marked Not for Sale, and reports retail-exempt sales.

The company website describes slaughtering, cutting and packing of beef, hogs, lamb and goats for producers primarily from Tennessee, and states that it can handle both custom beef for individual customers and USDA inspected product bearing the stamp of inspection. Note that the website names goats among the species handled while the species slaughtered under inspection reported to FSIS are cattle, hogs, and sheep and lamb. The site publishes cut sheets for beef, hog, goat and lamb, customer guidelines, a processing prices page and a yield guide. Staff listed on the about page include an operations manager, a head butcher and slaughter supervisor, assistant butcher, cutting, packing, slaughter and admin roles, plus farm store staff.

Next door to the processing facility, the business runs The Farm Store @ Hampton's, described as carrying locally grown and locally made products from more than 20 partner vendors. The store also hosts workshops through the year with registration required, and accepts vendor applications. Pricing figures beyond a stated surcharge for specialty cuts and a late pickup fee are not published in the material on file.

The website states that Hampton Meat processes animals for producers primarily from Tennessee and slaughters, cuts and packs beef, hogs, lamb and goats, handling both custom beef for individual customers and USDA inspected product bearing the stamp of inspection. Cut sheets are posted for beef, hog, goat and lamb. Producers may print and mail the form, email it to hamptonmeatprocessing@gmail.com, bring it at drop-off, or call and have it filled out by phone. Anything not checked on the sheet goes toward ground, except organs; organ requests must be made before the slaughter date. Specialty cuts not listed are subject to additional processing charges up to $2 per pound. The site states it is the farmer or producer's responsibility to ensure processing instructions are received within two days after drop-off; if not, the animal is cut at butcher's choice and processed and charged as USDA Inspected. After-hours drop-offs should leave cut sheet instructions in the red box attached to the livestock pens, and back tags are available there if the animal is not tagged. Cut sheets should identify the animal by tag number, color or similar. Quarters and thirds must be cut the same, with an extra charge for that service. Meat must be picked up within five days of notification that it is ready, or a $10 per day assessment applies unless agreed in advance. Post-processing services such as curing and smoking require picking up meat as it becomes available. A processing prices page exists on the site; specific rates are not included in the material on file.

Hampton Meat 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 Farm Store @ Hampton's is described as a store next door to the processing facility carrying locally grown and locally made goods from more than 20 partner vendors, including locally raised beef, pork and chicken, beef meat sticks, baked goods, honey, produce, raw milk and eggs, plus non-food items such as candles, soaps and handmade goods. The plant reports retail-exempt sales to FSIS. The website has a cart and account login, and a buy local meat page referencing Hampton's Beef and partnerships with several local farmers. Whether specific halves, quarters or bundles are sold to households, and whether delivery or shipping is offered, is not stated in the material 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.