Western Heritage Meat Company

Western Heritage Meat Company operates at 42 East Ridge Road in Sheridan, Wyoming, in Sheridan County, under establishment numbers M47420 and V47420. The plant reports meat slaughter and meat processing to FSIS, along with voluntary slaughter and voluntary processing of meat, and is classed by FSIS as Very Small. Species slaughtered under inspection as reported to FSIS are cattle, hogs, sheep and lamb, and bison. The website also lists goat and yak among the species it processes. FSIS places the plant in slaughter volume category 1.0, meaning under 1,000 head per year, and the grant of inspection date on file is December 15, 2021. The plant's own account states it passed its first USDA inspection on December 30, 2020.

The company describes itself as founded in 2020 by ranchers, Taylor and Cathryn Kerns, after they and roughly 30 other farm-to-table producers lost access to a processor in June of 2020. Brian McGuire is identified as plant manager. The stated mission is to give farmers and ranchers inspected processing so they can set their own prices and sell direct. The website says the operation is third party certified as humane animal handlers, and describes USDA-inspected slaughter and processing, dry aging, custom cutting, vacuum-sealed packaging, custom labeling, smokehouse and specialty products, and a DIY shipping center for producers packing their own orders.

The establishment also reports custom-exempt slaughter to FSIS, meaning it processes animals owned by the customer with packages marked Not for Sale, and reports retail-exempt sales. A retail store sells cuts and specialty products from regional producers, with online ordering for pickup at the Sheridan facility. Note that FSIS lists the phone number as (307) 381-2261 while the website lists (307) 381-2263.

The plant is set up for producers hauling their own animals. Appointments are made by phone, with advance scheduling recommended and a call list for cancellations. Animals and brand inspection are dropped off the afternoon before the scheduled kill date, and cut sheets are submitted online within one week of drop off for beef and 48 hours for hogs, lambs, and goats; if no cut sheet is submitted the plant cuts to butcher's recommendation. Posted rates include beef harvest and disposal only at $250 per head, kill and clean with processing at $205 per head, and cut and wrap at $1.45 per pound hanging weight with a $750 per head minimum. Pork is $150 harvest and disposal, $105 kill and clean with processing, and $1.45 per pound cut and wrap. Lamb and goat are $150 harvest and disposal, $105 kill and clean with processing, and $125 per head cut and wrap. Yak and bison are $340 harvest and disposal, $295 kill and clean with processing, and $1.58 per pound cut and wrap. Box deposits run $10 to $25 per animal and are refundable, or exchangeable for snack sticks, when WHMC boxes are returned. Custom labeling carries a one time $150 setup fee. A 90 day advance reservation earns a reduced rate of $1.42 per pound, and producers processing at least 10 head per month may qualify for volume pricing discussed directly with WHMC leadership. A credit card is required at booking; 14 days notice is asked for cancellation or rescheduling, with fees of $100 per beef, $60 per hog, $30 per sheep or goat, and $180 per bison or yak for no-shows or late changes. Finished product should be picked up within 7 to 8 business days of notification, after which a $10 per animal per day storage fee applies, with monthly freezer slots at $30, $55, or $75 available.

Western Heritage Meat Company 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 company operates a retail shop at the Sheridan facility selling beef, pork, and lamb from regional producers, described as including grain-finished, grass-finished, and hybrid-finished beef. Listed retail items include ribeye, tenderloin and sirloin steaks, roast beef, ground pork, pork breakfast sausage, chorizo, bratwurst, hot dogs, summer sausage, jerky, snack sticks, beef and pork fat, and pet food items such as fresh dog food, dog bones, and bone dust for chickens. Orders can be placed online and are fulfilled for pickup at 42 East Ridge Road. The store FAQ states nationwide shipping is coming soon but not available yet. Halves and quarters for household buyers are not described on the site; the box deposit references half and whole beef in the context of processing customers.

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.