Foothills Family Farms

Mobile Processing Unit

Note: Effective April 1st, 2010, MPU fees have increased to $45/day. Every user/renter must complete and return the User Agreement, with prepayment for each day rented, at the time the reservation is made.

The MPU is designed for on farm processing of poultry and rabbit by the producer for personal use or sale under the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDACS) provision for inspection exempt processing.  Individuals may slaughter up to 1,000 poultry of their own raising for retail or wholesale sale without inspection. Please refer to NCDACS Meat and Poultry regulations for your particular situation.
The MPU is offered to producers within a 60 mile radius of Old Fort for $45/ daily (outside 60 miles are charged a reasonable mileage fee). The renter is responsible for pick-up and drop off of the unit in Old Fort. A capable vehicle with a 2 5/16" ball is required for towing.  Payment should be made by mail in advance of your pick up date. A $100 cleaning charge will be assessed for the return of improperly cleaned equipment.  All damages are the sole responsibility of the user, please see User Agreement.

To inquire about the MPU or make a reservation, please email info@foothillsfamilyfarms.org (subject line "MPU") or by calling 828-216-2966. Reservations for 2010 will be taken on a first come first served basis beginning on January 2, 2010.

This project is funded by Heifer Appalachia and Foothills Family Farms and in cooperation with McDowell Cooperative Extension and the Independent Small Animal Meat Producers Association of WNC.

What is Supplied

The MPU consists of a 20' flatbed, tandem axle trailer with the following equipment :

-          Killing rack with 6 stainless steel cones, 4 turkey cones are now available for an additional $10/ day.

-          (4) plastic poultry crates that will hold 6-10 birds each

-          Featherman Scalder, propane fired, with thermostat for self regulating temperature. Also requires 110volt electrical service (standard 3 prong plug) for the thermostat unit

-          Featherman Plucker, requires 110volt electrical service (standard 3 prong plug).

-          10' stainless steel evisceration table with 4 drop down sprayers.

-          (1) 6' chilling tanks for a carcass chilling capacity of 150 5lb birds.

-          Sanitizer gun for garden hose

-          The unit is plumbed internally for the plucker and evisceration table from a 4 way manifold that allows for an extra multi purpose hose for filling the scalder and cleaning the deck.

-          A Ground Fault Indicator (GFI) to provide protection to operators and equipment in wet locations. The plucker, scalder and any other electrical equipment must be plugged into the GFI, which is then plugged into your electrical source.

What you will Need to Provide

-           110 volt electrical supply (common household 3 prong plug)

-          Propane canister- a 20lb. grill type tank is recommended for 6-8 hours of processing

-          Knives- should be extremely sharp.

-          Water source from typical garden hose, ¾" recommended.

-          5 gallon buckets- you'll need several of these for offal, feathers, feet, heads, etc. Also useful for "hand wash" buckets.

-          Hand sprayers (garden/household type) for periodic sanitizing of surfaces, knives.

-          Household bleach for disinfecting unit after use.

-          Ice- figure 1.5lbs per bird

-          Bags or other packaging for birds

-       Scale, if needed

Reccomended:

- Shelter, tent barn or other form of protection from the elements. In the future we may be able to supply this with rental.

- Portable Fans. We use a strong "squirrel cage" type fan that is capable of moving a lot of air. On hot days these can help keep you cool and comfortable as well as keep the flies at bay.