Instructions
Check with your local USDA office to find out what plants they endorse for the purpose of slaughtering and processing emus. In many states, meat sold to the general public must be USDA-approved. Your local office can also provide information about any regulations regarding the sale of meat in your state and county.
Contact local processing plants to learn if they are approved to slaughter your emus. If they aren't, they may know of a plant that is and can provide you with their contact information.
Subscribe to "Emu Today and Tomorrow" magazine. This monthly magazine is dedicated to the emu industry and offers a list of resources, including business directories and classified advertising in the back of each issue. Occasionally they also print producer profiles that may feature someone involved in an emu processing facility.
Browse directories of meat processing plants available online. For example, the Farm Profitability Organization prepares an electronic directory of food processing centers, which was funded by the USDA. This directory covers Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin and the University of Illinois of Urbana-Champaign.
Join the American Emu Association (AEA) to receive insider information about the latest innovations in the emu slaughter process and to find information about processing plants now available. By looking through the AEA's membership directory, you may be able to find a plant close to your location.
Peruse the "Emu's Zine" website. This online publication is dedicated to the emu industry and offers classified advertisements and articles on various topics.
Sign up for the Emu Farming Information Group on Yahoo! Membership to this group is free of charge and allows you to talk with other emu farmers and get their input on where to find a processing plant.
How to Find an Emu Processing Plant
Emu farmers have learned that since the breeders market has dropped so drastically, they must process their birds into other products to earn a living. One market that is slowly growing in popularity is the meat market, where the alternative red meat provided by emus gives health-conscious consumers another option. To get started in this area of the industry, emu owners must first find a processing plant that specializes in the slaughter and processing of emus for meat. This plant should be approved by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to guarantee the best quality meat.