BILLINGS, MONT. – Ranch House Meat Co. and Sausage Co. recently transitioned to federal inspection, which enables the company to broaden sales of its smoked and fresh meat products.

The company was able to change to federally inspected status "...after years of work and changes to Ranch House Meats operations."

The company acquired Pure Montana Meats of Miles City and moved butchering out of the Shepherd facility which allowed for a more streamlined workflow. Nearly $1 million went into equipment and building upgrades to meet federal standards and production expectations, the company said.

“USDA inspection gives our customers around the state of Montana and beyond greater access to our Montana Made products,” said Shane Flowers, owner of Ranch House Meat Co. and Sausage Co. “We expect to see tremendous growth in our bacon and snack stick lines especially, but certainly across all of our product lines.

“With the federal label on our smoked products from the Shepherd production facility now available along with the cubed steaks, the Custer Steak Strips, and locally raised beef that are already federally inspected from Pure Montana Meats in Miles City, we have a wide range of products to offer to grocery chains, foodservice distributors and c-stores, as well as hardware and sporting goods chains,” Flowers said. “As we continue to grow, we will be adding valuable, good paying jobs to the economies of multiple Montana cities and the state itself.”