April 2, 2009

LANSING - The Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) is urging consumers to do a little homework before purchasing meat or poultry from a door to door salesperson.

“Door to door meat sales offers Michigan’s most vulnerable citizens the ease of being able to shop at home, but it also provides an opportunity for some bad actors to take advantage of them,” said Don Koivisto, MDADirector. “I’m urging consumers to do a little homework before making a purchase to safeguard their health and their pocketbooks.”

Consumers should follow these tips when buying meat or poultry from a door to door salesperson:

• Be an informed buyer. Know exactly what you are buying and from whom.
  
  
• Make sure all receipts and accompanying documentation are complete including the seller’s name and address; and keep a copy for your records.
  
  
• Never buy meat from an unrefrigerated vehicle or from the trunk of a car.
  
  
• All food must come from an approved source, have the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) seal of inspection, complete and intact labeling that identifies the product, cuts, lists ingredients, and a net weight declaration.
  
  
• An MDAissued decal must be conspicuously displayed on each side of the vehicle so as to be visible when in transit and while serving the public. Decals are issued each licensing year in different colors - yellow for 2009.
  
  
• The name and address of the business must be affixed to the exterior side of the vehicle in letters not less than 3" high x 3/8" wide and in colors contrasting the background color of the vehicle.
  
  
• Many communities require a vendor’s permit to operate door to door. This is a business license and is not a replacement for the required MDA mobile food establishment license.
  
  
• Call your local Better Business Bureau to see if you are doing business with a reputable firm.

For more information and tips regarding door to door meat sales, visit USDA’s Web site at: www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Door_to_Door_Meat_Sales/index.asp, call USDA’s toll-free Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854 or contact MDA’s Food and Dairy Division at 517-373-1060.