Meat Inspection

South Dakota Meat Inspection

The South Dakota Meat Inspection (SDMI) Program provides inspection service to small and very small slaughter and processing establishments throughout the state. This program is a 50/50 cost sharing inspection program with USDA-FSIS. As part of this cost sharing with FSIS, SDMI must maintain a program that is “at least equal to” the Federal Inspection Program.

The SDMI Program provides oversight and various levels of inspection to fully inspected slaughter establishments, fully inspected processing establishments and custom exempt establishments. SDMI also licenses and inspects retail stores selling meat in South Dakota.

State-inspected cattle, sheep, swine, and goat product is currently limited to markets within South Dakota. Products not amenable to the Federal Inspection Act such as buffalo and elk processed under state inspection are allowed to be shipped across state lines.

There are now 29 states with "equal to" meat and/or poultry inspection programs. Twenty-five of these states have both meat and poultry inspection programs and 4 states have only meat inspection programs (Arkansas, Georgia, Oregon, and South Dakota). Poultry inspection in South Dakota is under the authority of USDA FSIS. For questions regarding the requirements for poultry inspection in South Dakota, please contact the USDA FSIS at the Des Moines District: 515-727-8960 or 800-990-9834.