Hayes Family Alaska

08/30/2026

President Trump’s recent post is important, but it does NOT mean farmers can suddenly sell custom-processed beef by the cut.

When we farmed in Virginia, we could legally sell beef by the share. The customer owned part of the live animal before processing, and their meat came back stamped “NOT FOR SALE.”

That restriction comes from federal meat inspection law, not just State rules.

The PRIME Act is aimed at changing that by allowing certain custom-processed meat to be sold directly within a state, if that state allows it. The State still has to allow it.

So Trump’s announcement and the PRIME Act are moving in the same general direction, but they are not the same thing. His post is signaling a push to loosen processing restrictions. Congress still has to change the federal law if farmers are going to be able to legally sell those individual steaks, roasts, and burger.

But, here is the biggest but:
The key federal law is 21 U.S.C. § 623. That statute is what creates the custom-slaughter exemption and requires custom-processed meat to be kept for the owner’s personal use rather than sold commercially. It is also the legal foundation behind the familiar “NOT FOR SALE” label. Because that restriction is written into federal law itself, changing USDA guidance alone does not fully remove it.

The PRIME Act does not simply erase 21 U.S.C. § 623 or the existing “Not for Sale” rule. It would amend that same federal statute by creating a new exemption allowing qualifying custom-processed meat to be sold within the state, subject to state law. In other words, the old custom exemption would remain, but farmers and processors could have a new legal pathway for selling individual cuts.

If that happens, it could be a HUGE change for small farms and local meat sales. 🐄🥩🇺🇸

08/30/2026

Just in case people forgot...
This isn't Blue v Red...
We have family in Cuba, 'trying to stay alive' because of that same concept.

Food for thought.

08/29/2026

Public service announcement “NOW HEAR THIS”


~TOP~

08/29/2026

Dear Mr. President:

Farmers were never stripped of their rights to process what they raise to feed their own families. Farmers also have the possibility of using custom exemptions, in many states. This is how many of us sold beef by the share. Like half of beef or a quarter of beef. The issue is and has always been that Farmers CANNOT sell beef, pork, lamb, nor goat, by the cut..
'THE CUT' 👈 That is the key word...

A farmer can raise and home butcher his own cattle for self consumption every day that ends in Y. That was never taken from us. A farmer and his or her family can only eat so much beef in a year. Before freezers are full.

What we are asking. Is specific. And as a farmer I'd like to help you understand the terminology, for I believe you are being misled, and not being given the facts of what farmers are asking for.

Allow a farmer to sell custom exempt beef, lamb, goat, and pork 'BY THE CUT'. 👈

This would allow a farmer to process his or her beef, pork, lamb, or goat at a State Licensed and Inspected Meat Packer. Notice I left out Federal. States themselves require all packaging to say 'NOT FOR SALE'. States allow State inspected meat packers to package beef, pork, etc.

If you could find a way, to allow farmers to sell beef, pork, lamb, and goat 'BY THE CUT' under State exemptions then you would see Farmers flourish as a whole.

Food for thought.
Signed a retired Farmer.

08/29/2026

"We are very much beef, pork, lamb, poultry, vegetable, fruits, milk and egg snobs."

In a conversation with 7 Anubis Farms LLC

Once you've raised your own food.. From beef to poultry, and have drank jersey raw milk straight from the cow. One truly becomes a legit food snob. 🤣😅

The stuff that we get shipped to us, via floatplane, from the grocery store, passed off as food.. Is a far cry from what we were accustomed too. Faaaaaaaaar Cry.

At least the coffee is eh' okay. 🙃 Definitely not giving this place or it's food 5 stars. 🤠

Rant over. 😁 Carry On.

08/29/2026

I find it amazing how people think cattlemen are the ones who raised the prices on beef. 😅🫣 Or that they're rich and greedy.

I'd love to educate everyone on the last 20, 30, 40, and 50, years of what's happened to the Ag industry as a whole, it doesn't fit in a 3 second post to remotely begin to explain.

So.. In my best Kindergarten teacher explanation:

Four really big companies: JBS, Tyson, Cargill, and National Beef, handle most of the beef in America. 🥩 Think of them like four Monopoly Men who own almost all the important spaces on the monopoly board. Farmers raise the cows, but the big 4 companies have a lot of power over what they will pay for them. So the farmer does the growing, while the Monopoly Men control a lot of the road to the grocery store.

Cattlemen, Ranchers, and Farmers aren't getting paid 100% for their product: the cattle they raised. The rancher 'maybe' gets 40% of market value while the Big 4 Monopoly Men, pocket the other 60%.

Sadly, the consumer pays 100%.
40% to the farmer, who did all the work.
60% to Men in suits.

FYI: There are and/or were ongoing litigation against some or all of the 4 Big Meat Packers regarding holding back meat.. Yes. They held back meat purposely, then raised prices, and were caught. With some having to pay billions in damages.

Ranchers and Farmers didn't hold back or hide the supply of beef cows. They got duped into being paid less while the Big 4 Sat back almost bankrupt Farmers then miraculously some or all of (the Big 4) continued to profit more and more year over year.

Farmers and Ranchers, aren't the greedy ones. I said what I said. 🫶👏

08/28/2026

Elk pasta. 😅 Thank you to Tina Congiolosi for sharing some of their Elk harvest with us. It was delicious. 😘

08/28/2026

I'm just curious how many hands high his horse is.. 😅 For none equestrians (hands-high) is the height of a horse at their withers (highest point between back and shoulder blades). It's how a horses height is measured. 🐎🏇

Wyoming Rancher Knocks Grizzly Unconscious After Being Charged While Checking Fence

MEETEETSE, WYOMING - A Wyoming rancher walked away with minor injuries after reportedly knocking a grizzly bear unconscious during a close-range encounter while checking fence earlier this week.
According to the rancher, the bear emerged from heavy brush roughly 30 yards away and charged before he had time to reach the rifle secured to his horse.
With nowhere to retreat, he reportedly waited until the bear was within several feet, stepped sideways and struck it once behind the left ear with a closed fist.
Wildlife officials responding to the area later located the grizzly approximately 40 yards away, alive but apparently disoriented.
The rancher declined medical treatment and returned to repairing the fence.
When asked how he managed to knock out an adult grizzly with one punch, he reportedly told officials:
“I didn't know I could until I needed to.”

08/28/2026

One thing, I cannot shake off as a farmer who has taken many lives is this:

Livestock raised for food aren't strangled.
Strangulation isn't quick, it's long, agonizing, and inhumane.
PETA would lose it's 💩 If animals were strangled at slaughter. Animals are therefore killed humanely, and quickly with much more grace than she gave her own children. Read that again... 👆

So, No. Sorry not Sorry, as a farmer who has taken many animal's life's to feed people in my community...
I DO NOT stand with Linsey.
As a MOM, I DO NOT stand with Lindsey.
We are NOT the same.

I do feel she needs help, behind BARS.
Steaks were treated better.

08/27/2026

Have you ever been loved by a cow or a horse? 🫶❤️

Some days I miss the farm and everyday I miss the animals. But.. What keeps me smiling and grateful is knowing how much those animals loved me in return. 🙌

Not just me loving them.. No. No. That's too easy. The blessing was being loved in return not just by our dogs but horses, cows, donkeys, goats, sheep, hogs, even chickens and turkeys, to name a few. 🫣

I am truly on the fence and undecided in which was the best, for the two loves: at the top of that list, was the cows and the horses.

To milk your heart and soul cow, after helping her calve.. Is genuinely priceless.
As is: riding your heart horse ba****ck, are two of the most cherished animal loves I've ever experienced. ❤️

I believe both of these experiences are the closest a human can get to Heaven on Earth. 🙌🫶 Consider yourself divinely blessed if you've known that type of love.