JM Watkins, LLC

JM Watkins, LLC operates at W2431 US Hwy 10 in Maiden Rock, Pierce County, Wisconsin, under USDA FSIS establishment numbers M46172, P46172, and V46172. The federal record lists the plant for meat slaughter, meat processing, poultry processing, and voluntary meat slaughter and processing, with a grant of inspection date on file of August 26, 2021. FSIS classifies the establishment as very small and places it in slaughter volume category 2.0. Species reported to FSIS for slaughter under inspection are cattle, hogs, sheep and lamb, and bison. The plant also reports custom-exempt slaughter, in which animals owned by the customer are processed and the packages are marked Not for Sale, and reports retail-exempt sales.

The business describes itself as a full service, old-fashioned meat locker that processes beef, pork, lamb, and venison to customer specifications. Its stated species list differs somewhat from the federal record: FSIS lists bison among species slaughtered under inspection, while the website names venison among species processed. The site states that the business was started in the 1940s by Eldon and Phyllis Watkins and run within their family for 66 years, and that Brandon and Erin Clare took over in 2013 after buying the locker from Bob and Doug Watkins. The Clares report continuing the original Watkins recipes and moving from a downtown building constructed in 1901 to a larger new location. Staffing is described as 10 full-time and 8 part-time employees, not counting the owners.

A page on the site profiles farms whose animals move through the plant, including Juice's Jerseys of Porcupine, Maier Family Farm, DZ Wagyu of Bloomer, Oxheart Farm near Hager City, Blue Goose Hereford Farm, Larson Hereford Farms near Spring Valley, and Jersey Oaks Farm. Several of those farms sell beef by the quarter, half, or whole animal, and DZ Wagyu also lists eighths and sampler bundles. Hours, pricing, scheduling lead times, and cut and wrap fees are not stated in the sources on file.

The plant reports both federally inspected slaughter and custom-exempt slaughter to FSIS, so animals can be handled either for resale under inspection or as customer-owned animals with packages marked Not for Sale. Species reported to FSIS for slaughter under inspection are cattle, hogs, sheep and lamb, and bison; the website says the shop processes beef, pork, lamb, and venison to customer specifications. FSIS classifies the establishment as very small with a slaughter volume category of 2.0. The website profiles multiple area livestock farms that work with the plant, including one producer who states he has worked with JM Watkins since 2013. Booking procedures, lead times, minimums, kill days, and cut and wrap fees are not stated in the sources on file. Farmers should call (715) 647-2554 to confirm current scheduling.

JM Watkins, 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 business operates a retail store and lists online retail ordering with in-store pickup, call ahead service, and drive-thru pickup. Beyond meat, the shop lists local maple syrup, cheeses and cheese spreads, milk, coffee, seasonings, seafood, breads and popcorn, and seasonal produce. Farms profiled on the site sell beef by the quarter, half, or whole animal, and DZ Wagyu lists halves, quarters, eighths, and sampler bundles, though those purchases are arranged with the farms. Delivery, shipping, and prices are not stated in the sources 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.