The non-negotiables
Home-killed meat cannot be sold
In every state and territory, animals must be slaughtered at a licensed abattoir with ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections. Meat from on-farm slaughter is for personal consumption only and cannot legally be sold, bartered, or given away (in most states it cannot even leave the property).
No home-kitchen meat processing
Making sausages, patties, jerky, or any meat product from a home kitchen is not permitted anywhere in Australia. Meat is classified as high-risk food. Processing must occur at a licensed or council-registered commercial facility.
Who can list meat on SideStall?
Farms selling pre-packaged meat
You raise the animal, send it to a licensed abattoir, have it butchered and packaged at a licensed facility, and sell the sealed packages. This is the most common model for farm-direct meat sales in Australia.
Licensed butcheries
You hold a state meat authority licence (PrimeSafe, Safe Food QLD, NSW Food Authority, PIRSA, etc.) and process/sell meat from a licensed premises.
Smallgoods and processed meat producers
You make sausages, jerky, biltong, smallgoods, or other processed meat products at a licensed facility. You hold the relevant state meat authority licence or food business registration for meat processing.
Small poultry farms (NSW)
In NSW, farms with 100 or fewer birds can sell poultry meat under a free notification with the NSW Food Authority. On-farm processing is permitted with appropriate setup. This is the most accessible pathway for small-scale meat selling in Australia.
Cooked meat product businesses
You make pies, sausage rolls, or other fully cooked meat products from a council-registered commercial kitchen. These typically fall under council food business licensing rather than state meat authority.
What you need to list meat on SideStall
- 1. A licensed supply chain
All meat you list must come from animals slaughtered at a licensed abattoir and processed at a licensed facility. You must be able to trace every product back to the licensed source.
- 2. The right licence or registration for your state
This varies by state and by what you're selling:
State Raw meat / butchery Cooked products (pies etc.) SA PIRSA accreditation Council food business NSW NSW Food Authority licence Council food business VIC PrimeSafe licence Council food business QLD Safe Food QLD accreditation Council food business WA Council + DoH oversight Council food business TAS Biosecurity TAS accreditation Council food business ACT ACT Health registration ACT Health registration NT NT Meat Industries licence Council food business - 3. Proper labeling
Every meat product must be labeled per FSANZ standards:
- • Product name and description
- • Your full name and street address
- • Ingredients list (descending order of weight)
- • Use-by or best-before date
- • Storage instructions (e.g. "Keep refrigerated below 5°C")
- • Net weight
- • Country of origin
- • Lot identification (batch/traceability code)
- • Allergen declarations (where applicable)
- 4. Cold chain compliance
Meat must be maintained at 5°C or below at all times from processing through to customer collection. If you're selling frozen products, they must remain frozen. If buyers collect from your stall, you need appropriate refrigeration or insulated display.
- 5. Acknowledge compliance on SideStall
When you first list a meat product, SideStall will show a compliance screen. You'll need to confirm that your meat comes from a licensed supply chain and that you hold the relevant licence or registration for your state.
Types of meat products you can list
Pre-packaged cuts (beef, lamb, pork, goat, poultry)
Whole, half, or quarter sides. Individual cuts. Must be processed and packaged by a licensed butcher/facility. Sold sealed.
Sausages and smallgoods
Raw sausages, frankfurts, and similar products made at a state-authority-licensed processing facility.
Jerky, biltong, and dried meats
Shelf-stable dried meat products made at a licensed facility. These are classified as high-risk during manufacturing but are shelf-stable once packaged.
Cooked meat products
Meat pies, sausage rolls, cooked meatballs, and similar fully cooked products from a council-registered commercial kitchen.
Whole dressed poultry (NSW)
In NSW, farms with 100 or fewer birds can sell whole dressed birds under a free notification with the NSW Food Authority.
Special case: small poultry farms in NSW
NSW is the only state with a genuinely accessible pathway for small-scale poultry meat selling. Farms with 100 or fewer birds at any time are exempt from NSW Food Authority licensing. They need only notify the Food Authority (free) and develop a Food Safety Management Statement.
What you need
- 1. Notify the NSW Food Authority (free online notification)
- 2. Develop a Food Safety Management Statement per FSANZ Standard 4.2.2 (templates available)
- 3. Set up a clean processing area (dedicated bench, potable water, refrigeration, proper waste disposal)
- 4. Get a Food Safety Supervisor certificate (~$120)
- 5. Get public liability insurance (~$200–$500/year) if selling at markets
What you cannot list on SideStall
Home-killed or on-farm slaughtered meat (unless processed at a licensed abattoir)
Meat products made in a home kitchen
Uninspected or unlabeled meat
Wild game sold without a licensed game meat processing chain
Ready to list your meat products?
If you have a licensed supply chain, the right registration for your state, and properly labeled products, list your stall on SideStall — free, no fees, no commissions.
Visit sidestall.auDisclaimer: This guide is general information for meat sellers in Australia, current as at April 2026. It is not legal or compliance advice. Meat regulations are set by state and territory governments and enforced by state food safety authorities — always confirm current requirements with the relevant authority for your state before you sell. SideStall is a discovery directory; we don't enforce, verify, or audit meat seller compliance. Sellers are solely responsible for ensuring their products meet all applicable food safety and licensing requirements.