Customer Guidelines

Last Updated January 2021

It is our goal at Smokey Ridge Meats to provide our customers with the highest quality products and services possible. The following guidelines have been put into place to help us do so while also maintaining the viability of our business in hopes that we may continue serving our community for many years to come. These guidelines are applicable to all customers of Smokey Ridge Meats unless special arrangements have been made with the business owners.

If slaughter is taking place on-site at our facility, customers may choose between USDA and custom processing. However, if an appointment has been made specifically for custom slaughter, it may or may not be possible to switch to USDA slaughter at the time of drop-off. Animals slaughtered under USDA inspection can be switched to custom for cut and wrap services, but custom slaughtered animals cannot be cut and wrapped as USDA inspected meat.

All customers delivering livestock to our facility are required to follow humane handling practices as described in the USDA’s code of federal regulations. All animals should be handled in a way that minimizes excitement, pain, injury, and discomfort. Services will not be provided to anyone engaging in the abuse of animals.

We reserve the right to reject animals that are exceptionally aggressive and/or pose a serious risk to human safety. Depending on the severity of the situation, aggressive or dangerous animals may be refused for processing.

Additional charges will be applied for handling of horned cattle and/or especially large animals (cattle with hanging weights over 900lbs and pigs with hanging weights over 350lbs).

All customers will be given the opportunity to choose how their meat is cut and packaged. If cutting instructions cannot be collected when animals are delivered for slaughter, we will make at least one attempt to contact each customer via email or phone for instructions using the contact information provided.

It is the farmer/business owners’ responsibility to ensure customers are aware that their meat is in process and we are awaiting their instructions. If a customer is not reachable or does not respond regarding cutting and packaging preferences within one week of slaughter for beef and two days for pigs and other small animals, carcasses may will be cut and paper wrapped using standard cutting instructions.

All customers will be notified when their finished product is ready for pick-up via the telephone number(s) provided. A message may be left if a customer does not answer.

After first notification, finished product may remain stored in our freezer for up to 5 business days without charge.

Beginning on the 6th business day following the first notification that product is ready for pick-up, customer will be charged an additional $1 per day, per crate or box of meat.

Product unclaimed beyond approximately 45 days will be considered abandoned and will be donated or disposed of as deemed appropriate.

All payments are due in full at time of pick-up.

We will respond respectfully and thoughtfully to any expressed concerns about the quality of products or services received, but cannot guarantee reimbursement of paid invoices.

Processing charges are based on the hanging weight of each carcass. Customers must understand that there is a standard amount of weight loss when the carcass is trimmed, cut and wrapped to chosen specifications.

For various reasons related to sanitation and food safety, parts of some animal carcasses must be discarded. It is at the discretion of our management team and cutting crew to determine whether or not questionable meat can be salvaged.

Our management team and cutting crew will also use their best judgment to determine whether or not all customer requests can be filled (i.e. if certain cuts are of adequate size for further processing). Customers will only be charged for processing that is completed.