Background

The provincial meat industry is regulated by the Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001 and the Meat Regulation (Ontario Regulation 31/05).  This legislation, administered by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, may license an operator to conduct regulated activities.

The Meat Regulation sets out requirements to ensure that food animals are fit for slaughter, handled humanely, and processed under sanitary conditions. All species of mammals and birds, raised in captivity and whose meat is intended for human consumption, are included in the regulation. All meat destined for sale or distribution in Ontario, without exception, must originate from livestock or poultry slaughtered in provincially licensed meat plants, federally licensed establishments, or imported in accordance with the federal Safe Food for Canadians Act.

Sale, transport, delivery and distribution of meat in Ontario

In Ontario, no one can sell, transport, deliver or distribute meat unless:

  • the food animal was inspected prior to slaughter (ante mortem) and given approval for slaughter in accordance with the Meat Regulation
  • the carcass was inspected following slaughter (post mortem) and was approved for use as food in accordance with the Meat Regulation or the regulations under the Safe Food for Canadians Act (Canada)
  • the food animal was slaughtered in a plant operated by a provincially licensed operator or a federally registered establishment
  • the meat is stamped, labelled or tagged with an inspection legend

In addition, no person can operate a slaughter facility without a licence.

Conditions for on farm slaughter

Producers can slaughter food animals and process the carcasses on their farm at any time of the year and are exempt from the Meat Regulation, provided all of the following conditions are met:

  • the food animal must be owned and raised by the producer on the producer’s premises
  • the slaughter must be performed on the producer's premises by the producer or by a person acting on the direction of the producer
  • the meat must be consumed only by the producer or the producer's immediate family on the producer's premises

The meat from a food animal slaughtered under this option cannot be sold, delivered, distributed, or transported off the farm under any circumstances. The Meat Regulation does not permit an individual to purchase a food animal, take it home and slaughter it for their own use or distribution.

On farm slaughter for personal consumption and non-emergency slaughter for personal consumption decision tree

On farm slaughter for personal consumption and non-emergency slaughter for personal consumption decision tree

This document is for summary and information purposes only. For specific details refer to Ontario Regulation 31/05 (Meat).

Accessible description

Do you own and did you raise the food animal on your premises?

If no, not eligible for on farm slaughter. (end)

If yes, do you intend to slaughter the food animal on your premises?

If no, You can only transport the food animal to a provincially licensed slaughter plant or federally licensed establishment. Meat processed at these facilities will result in inspected product that can be sold to the public. You must not transport the food animal to any other location for slaughter. (end)

If yes, Is the food animal a head of cattle under 30 months or a pig?

If no, on farm slaughter for personal consumption

You may slaughter your own food animals, that you have raised, to feed yourself and your immediate family at any time providing the following conditions are met:

  1. The food animal must be slaughtered by you (the producer).
  2. The slaughter must be performed on your premises.
  3. The carcass or its parts may not leave your premises.
  4. This meat is not inspected and must not be sold, delivered, distributed, or transported off the farm under any circumstances.

This carcass, part of a carcass or meat product must only be for personal consumption by you (the producer) and your immediate family on your premises. (end)

If yes, Do you intend to have meat from the food animal processed at a provincially licensed plant? In this case processing means: skinning, removal of feet, cutting, wrapping, freezing, grinding, processing into ham, bacon or sausage if the carcass is derived from a pig.

If no, on farm slaughter for personal consumption

You may slaughter your own food animals, that you have raised, to feed yourself and your immediate family at any time providing the following conditions are met:

  1. The food animal must be slaughtered by you (the producer), or by a person acting on the direction of you (the producer).
  2. The slaughter must be performed on your premises.
  3. The carcass or its parts may not leave your premises.
  4. This meat is not inspected and must not be sold, delivered, distributed, or transported off the farm under any circumstances.

This carcass, part of a carcass or meat product must only be for personal consumption by you (the producer) and your immediate family on your premises. (end)

If yes, Is it between September 1 and April 30?

If no, on farm slaughter for personal consumption

You may slaughter your own food animals, that you have raised, to feed yourself and your immediate family at any time providing the following conditions are met:

  1. The food animal must be slaughtered by you (the producer).
  2. The slaughter must be performed on your premises.
  3. The carcass or its parts may not leave your premises.
  4. This meat is not inspected and must not be sold, delivered, distributed, or transported off the farm under any circumstances.

This carcass, part of a carcass or meat product must only be for personal consumption by you (the producer) and your immediate family on your premises. (end)

If yes, non-emergency slaughter (NES) for personal consumption

  1. You must arrange for a certified examiner to perform an ante mortem and post mortem examination on your farm.
  2. The food animal must be slaughtered by you (the producer) or the certified examiner.
  3. The food animal must be eviscerated and the head removed on farm.
  4. You must make arrangements with a licensed operator of a provincial meat plant that is approved to receive and process NES carcasses.
  5. The meat plant must return your products within 28 days of receiving the carcass.
  6. The carcass or its parts must not be sold, distributed, shared or donated.

This carcass, part of a carcass or meat product must only be for personal consumption by you (the producer) and your immediate family on your premises. (end)

Contact us

For more information:

Toll Free: 1-877-424-1300
E-mail: ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca