Mobile slaughterhouse could help small poultry producers

MONTPELIER, Vt.—A mobile slaughterhouse due to be crossing the state by this spring should give small poultry producers more access to retail markets.

more stories like this

Processing poultry in the 32-foot trailer will ensure the products offered by small and mid-size farmers meet state approval.

"The plan right now is to have it operational by spring time," said Deputy Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts.

The goal is to give smaller producers access to the "Buy Local" movement.

The $80,000 slaughterhouse includes a killing room, scalding pot and processing area. It will have the capacity to process about 200 birds a day.

It's needed because it's too expensive for most farmers to truck live poultry to the nearest USDA facility in southern Vermont.

And uninspected birds can't be sold legally in cooperatives and other retail outlets.