CDFA Meat, Poultry Questions and Answers

A. No, CDFA, MPES only licenses and inspects Meat Processing Establishments that are exempt from federal inspection by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and that prepare meat and poultry products by curing, smoking for preservation, drying, or rendering, for direct-to-consumer sales at the retail level only.

Processing of meat and poultry that will be distributed or sold for resale offsite is regulated by the US Dept of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Services.

A. Yes, to be considered a "Cured" meat product, it must contain at a minimum 120 ppm of Sodium Nitrite. If a curing agent such as Sodium Nitrite in any amount is added to a meat product at less than 120 ppm the product would not be considered a "cured" meat product.

A. No, CDFA, MPES only licenses and inspects Meat Processing Establishments that are exempt from federal inspection by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and that prepare meat and poultry products by curing, smoking for preservation, drying, or rendering, for direct-to-consumer sales at the retail level only.

A. No, CDFA, MPES only regulates the processing of meat and poultry products from amenable species, such as cattle, swine, sheep, and goats). Wild game and exotic meat processing are regulated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).

A. The Meat, Poultry and Egg Safety (MPES) Branch only regulates meat and poultry products that are prepared by curing, smoking for preservation, drying, or rendering for retail sales only. On-site retail sales of unprocessed raw and fresh meat and poultry products would be regulated by local County agencies, typically the Environmental Health Department.

A. MPES does not have regulatory oversight over custom meat from livestock processed at a USDA Custom Exempt "Cut and Wrap" facility. If there are concerns about the wholesomeness of custom meat being processed at such a facility, contact the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), Office of Investigation, Enforcement and Audit (OIEA).

A. Applicants for Processing Inspector, Livestock Meat Inspector, and Poultry Meat Inspector licenses will only be trained, tested, and issued a license if the applicant is employed by MPES licensed Retail Processing Plant, Custom Livestock Slaughterhouse, or Poultry Plant. A Livestock Meat Inspector license is also required for individuals associated with a Mobile Slaughter Operation (MSO) licensed by MPES that conducts slaughter on a MPES registered Livestock Producer's (LP) premises.

A. MPES only regulates specific production processes (curing, smoking for preservation, drying, and rendering) of meat and poultry products produced for retail sales directly to the consumer and does not regulate meat and poultry products that inter "commerce" (e.g., sold wholesale), or are used in products that are sold wholesale.

Such operations, that produce meat and poultry products that enter "commerce" require inspection from USDA's Food and Safety Inspection Services (FSIS).

A. MPES’s Building/Construction Guidelines are available upon request. For all other specific questions or inquiries, please refer to 2022 Title 24 California Code Changes

A. Requirements for meat and poultry product packaging materials can be found in § 909.11 of the California Code of Regulations.

A. MPES has no jurisdiction for such sales of non MPES inspected meat or meat products from an individual’s home or property directly to the consumer or sales at farmers markets. Requirements are determined by county ordinances where the point of sale is located. In addition, the USDA has requirements related to the handling and storage of USDA inspected meat products. Please contact USDA for more information on their requirements.>

A. Fresh meat products originating from county licensed retail stores are Potentially Hazardous Foods (PHF) with requirements for handling and storage. The permitting of sale at local farmers markets of such meat food products is determined by county ordinances.

A. Yes, if all the following conditions are met:

1. The owner of the MPES licensed Retail Processing Establishment has full control of the retail sales of the products.
2. The offsite sales of MPES inspected products are to be only directly to the consumer and not wholesale to a third party that resells the product (wholesale) to another business (e.g., restaurant, bar, or consumers).
3. No production, packaging, and labeling takes place at the leased premises.
4. All MPES inspected products are to be in final retail sales packaging (no bulk) and meets CDFA MPES labeling requirements before leaving the MPES licensed RPE and are to be transported under the RPE’s control to alternate destination of sales.

A. If the offsite retail building operates under a DBA that differs from the name of the MPES licensed retail establishment, the official name of the MPES licensed retail establishment shall be updated to include the DBA. Additionally, all other official records associated with the MPES licensed retail establishment shall be updated to include the DBA.

A. No, CDFA, MPES only regulates raw and unprocessed pet food products. All processed pet food and treats (e.g., cooked, freeze-dried, dried, semi-dried) are under California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Food and Drug Branch.

A. No, please refer to CDFA, MPES Pet Food Guidelines posted on our website.

A. No, all raw materials and other ingredients used to manufacture raw and unprocessed pet food products must come from an acceptable source recognized by the department.

A. California Food and Agriculture Code (FAC) 1180.43(b) requires raw and unprocessed pet food offered for sale to the public containing meat, meat by products, or meat food products to be denatured.

A. All processed pet food and treats that include cooked, freeze-dried, dried, and semi-dried pet food products are regulated by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Food and Drug Branch

A. No, only slaughter performed at MPES licensed Custom Livestock Slaughterhouses (CLS) and by MPES Licensed Mobile Slaughter Operators (MSO) that slaughter cattle, sheep, swine, and goats. The meat from the slaughtered cattle, sheep, swine, and goats is for use only by the animal's owner, members of the owner's household, nonpaying guests and employees; it cannot be sold.

Meat derived from livestock slaughtered at CDFA inspected and licensed Custom Livestock Slaughterhouse is for personal use only of the owner(s) of the live animals and is NOT FOR SALE.

Meat derived from the slaughtering of livestock for the purpose of being sold to the public at retail or wholesale and distributed is regulated by the US Dept of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Services.

A. Under the California Food and Agricultural Code, rabbits are classified under poultry. In addition, Under the Federal Meat Inspection Act, rabbits are classified as (non-amenable) species and are exempt from the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection.

CDFA, MPES licenses and inspects poultry plants that slaughter (non-amenable) species that don't require federal inspection by the USDA, such as rabbits and small game birds like quail, pheasant, and partridge that may be sold to Household Consumers as well as Hotels, Restaurants, and Institutions (HRI). Any poultry producer of (non-amenable) species which intends to sell their poultry to restaurants, grocery stores, or middlemen, such as distributors, wholesalers, or jobbers, are required to have the poultry slaughtered by a licensed MPES Poultry Slaughter Plant. There are no annual processing limits for state inspected poultry plants that slaughter (non-amenable) species.

A. Yes, CDFA, MPES licenses and inspects Poultry Plants that slaughter amenable species (e.g., chickens, ducks, geese, guineas, squabs) or turkeys as a service for the customer. Non-Retail and Retail MPES licensed slaughter plants that process or slaughter amenable species for Household Consumers, may sell to Hotels, Restaurants, and Institutions (HRI); however, the USDA's Retail Exemptions Adjusted Dollar Limitations applies. View the annual Federal dollar limitations.

A. Yes, the CDFA, ESQM program (Egg Safety Quality Management), enforces egg handling and sale in California. View the ESQM webpage for the program's overall information.

A. CDFA, licensed slaughter facilities must comply with humane handling requirements and acceptable stunning methods for poultry slaughter. View the California Code of Regulations (CCR) for both livestock and poultry operations.

A. MPES does not regulate the raising of poultry.

CDFA-Animal Care Program regulates egg laying hens.

A. MPES does not regulate the sales of live chickens. Contact the local zoning authority and CDFA Animal Health Branch (ahbfeedback@cdfa.ca.gov) regarding any regulatory requirements for selling live animals

A. California poultry exemptions differ from federal exemptions in that there is no number limitation or restrictions on the number of poultry sold per year and must meet the conditions listed below:

1. The entire output of poultry from an operation is raised, slaughtered and sold directly to household consumers on the same premises. Employees may be involved in the operation.
2. Poultry are raised and slaughtered on the producer's premises and sold directly to household consumers at the same facility, at homes of consumers, or at farmer's markets. No employees may be involved in any part of the operation other than family members.

Poultry producers slaughtering under California exemptions must also comply with federal and state exemptions.

In addition, approval from the local zoning authority may be required for slaughter activities to take place on the property. County and/or city approval may be required for point of sale of uninspected poultry meat.

A. No. Poultry products to be sold to HRI's must be processed in a MPES licensed and inspected poultry establishment.

A. If the slaughtering and processing of the poultry products complies with State exemptions, state licensing is not required for poultry products sold at Farmers Markets. County requirements and permits may apply.

A. The licensed MPES Licensed Poultry Slaughter Establishment must meet the requirements of the USDA to process poultry belonging to other individuals. More information is available.

A. MPES licensed Mobile Slaughter Operations only pertain to livestock (cattle, sheep, goats, swine), as specified in the Food and Agricultural Code 19020 – 19023.

A. A CDFA MPES Poultry Processing License is required for any MPES poultry processing establishment who conducts any packing, repacking, or cutting up or recutting of inspected poultry meat products, except in a retail store or public eating house, in the State of California, as specified by Food and Agriculture Code 24712.