Underground Slaughter LLC

Underground Slaughter LLC, doing business as Underground Processing, operates at 6821 Franks Ferry Road in Walling, White County, Tennessee. The plant holds establishment numbers M51351 and P51351 and is listed with FSIS for meat processing, meat slaughter, poultry processing and poultry slaughter. FSIS classifies it as very small, with a grant of inspection date on file of July 14, 2021. Species slaughtered under inspection as reported to FSIS are hogs, sheep and lamb, and poultry, and the plant reports custom-exempt slaughter, meaning animals owned by the customer are processed and packaged marked Not for Sale.

The company website states the business was established in 2017 by Larry Masters in a facility originally built as NIKO & COMPANY, and that it opened to the public in June 2018 after receiving a USDA grant of inspection. The federal record shows a grant date of 2021-07-14, so the two dates differ. The website describes the plant as the first and only small farm poultry processing facility in Tennessee under USDA inspection and says it serves small farmers in Tennessee and the Southeastern United States. Published service pages cover pork, poultry, lamb and sheep, rabbit, goat, curing and smoking, marinades, and sausages.

Published price sheets list both custom and USDA processing fees for pork and per-bird fees for poultry, along with charges for grinding, sausage seasoning, links and patties, offal, lard rendering, curing, smoking and slicing. Retail sales, storefront hours, ownership beyond the founder named on the website, and any religious or third-party certifications are not stated in the sources on file.

The plant is set up for farm animals brought in by their owners. FSIS lists slaughter of hogs, sheep and lamb, and poultry under inspection, and the plant also reports custom-exempt slaughter with packages marked Not for Sale. Published pork pricing uses a base live weight of 350 pounds or less, with a custom processing fee of $1.00 per pound hanging weight or $1.15 per pound for USDA processing, a kill fee of $55.00 per hog, waste disposal of $16.00 per hog, and a minimum charge of $215.00 per hog. Extra kill and processing fees apply above 350 pounds live weight. Other listed charges include a $55.00 initial USDA label setup, $200.00 custom logo label setup, $100.00 scald and scrape, $55.00 emergency fee, $4.00 to record live weight per hog, $25.00 to fill out a cut sheet on or after drop day, $15.00 if animals are not taken off feed, and hauling at $75.00 plus $0.70 per mile round trip with 30 minutes wait included and $25.00 per additional 30 minutes. A deposit is subtracted from the final invoice and is forfeited for a no-show or a cancellation within 21 days of the appointment. Poultry is priced per bird, with Cornish Cross at $4.75 for 50 to 199 birds, $4.50 for 200 to 299, and $4.10 for 300 or more, and ducks, turkeys and geese at $16.00 for 16 to 49 birds and $14.25 for 50 or more. Minimum bird counts apply to guineafowl, squab, quail or dove, and pheasant. Prices are stated as subject to change without notice. Cut sheets and pricing sheets are posted for download on the pork and poultry pages. Booking is by contact form or phone as listed.

Underground Slaughter 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.

The sources describe a processing facility serving farmers and small producers and do not state that a retail counter, halves and quarters for sale, bundles, delivery, shipping or online ordering are offered. Households interested in buying meat directly should contact the plant, as retail availability is not stated in the sources on file. Note that product from custom-exempt slaughter is marked Not for Sale and may not be resold.

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.