Slaughter and Processing Plants

There are two different types of Plant Licenses available through the IL Department of Agriculture:

Type 1 Slaughter and/or Processing Plant

• All products slaughtered and processed are done so under inspection.  All products would bear a State of Illinois Mark of Inspection and would be eligible for sale in commerce. 
  Ex: Slaughter and/or processing establishment that receive live animals, poultry, and/or meat and poultry products for slaughter and/or processing.
• All food processors that will be making and selling products wholesale. 
  Ex: Processing and wholesaling meat pizzas, sausages, packaged meals, or any product intended for wholesale that contains more than 3% raw or 2% cooked meat and/or poultry product.
• Products processed under inspection at an Illinois Department of Agriculture Type 1 licensed facility are only eligible for sale in commerce within the state of Illinois.  Any products processed in Illinois and intended for commerce in other states should be done under a Federal Grant of Inspection.  Please see the USDA/FSIS website for additional information on federal grants of inspection.
  
• Type 1 plants are eligible for a Custom Exemption each calendar year.  Please see the Notice of New CE Rules Tab on the left for additional information.

Type 2 Slaughter and/or Processing Plant

• Any meat and/or poultry slaughtered and/or processed under a Type 2 license are to be returned to the animal's owner for personal use only.  No products processed under a Type 2 license are eligible for sale in commerce.
• Establishments holding a Type 2 license are permitted to receive live animals and/or poultry and/or meat and poultry products for slaughter and processing
  Ex: Animal owner presents animal to plant for slaughter and/or processing.  Upon completion of slaughter/processing, the product is returned to the original owner for personal use.

Information and Application for State Plants:

State Plants Cover Letter

Illinois Meat and Poultry Inspection Act

State Plant Type 1 and Type 2 Comparison Chart

State Plant License Rules

State Plant Building Guidelines

Code of Federal Regulations Building Guidelines

Blueprint Checklist

MPI State Plant Type 1 and Type 2 Application

Type 1 Custom Exemption Rules and Application

For information and examples of HACCP plan development, please see this USDA/FSIS link.

Persons purchasing a plant that is currently licensed under the Illinois Meat and Poultry Inspection Act, have the right to see any official documentation in the possession of the current plant owner(s), i.e., state reviews, Noncompliance Records (NR) etc., that contain pending plant deficiencies which have not yet been completed.

NO OPERATIONS MAY COMMENSE IN THE PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT UNTIL WRITTEN APPROVAL IS PROVIDED BY THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, BUREAU OF MEAT AND POULTRY INSPECTION.

Failure to complete this licensing process, within one year of the date of application, will cause the application to be deleted from the pending files and considered closed.

ALL DEFICIENCIES MUST BE CORRECTED AND APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT BEFORE A NEW LICENSE WILL BE ISSUED.