Carlton Farms is a family-owned producer of all-natural, artisan fresh pork, smoked pork, and beef products. Since 1956 we have partnered with Pacific Northwest family farmers who raise animals according to time-honored methods—naturally and humanely. Animals are raised to our specifications, without hormones, animal proteins, or growth accelerants.

We process products using hand techniques in our Willamette Valley facility, so when we say “handcrafted,” we mean it. We never use artificial flavors or chemicals while curing or aging our meats. Smoked products may be cured with salt and sweet brines, dry aged, and smoked over hardwood fires. Fresh pork is processed for the freshest delivery within 24 hours. And our premium beef is hand-trimmed, dry aged, and delivered with exquisite marbling and a velvety texture.

Restaurants, food services, fine markets, and discriminating consumers have made Carlton Farms their choice for delicious, artisan products for more than five decades. From personalized customer relationships, to supporting community values and advancing appreciation of fine cuisine in the Pacific Northwest, we deliver the exceptional product quality and customer service you expect.

Our Growers

Growers represent our extended family.

As a family-owned business in the agriculture industry, we know the importance of partnering with people you can trust. That’s why we work with a small number of family-owned farms that raise pork and beef to our specifications.

Naturally raised, humanely treated.
We work only with growers who raise hogs and cattle naturally and treat them humanely. Animals are fed a strictly grain-based vegetarian diet. Some of our growers meet the USDA definition of organic animal-raising operations.

No hormones or sub-therapeutic antibiotics.
As part of our certification requirements, our growers do not use hormones and we do not recommend the use of subtherapeutic antibiotics. Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones in pork. Our quality standards mandate that every hog we process is antibiotic-free when it arrives from our growers’ farms. We constantly test and inspect the hogs we buy to ensure that these strict standards are followed.

All-natural products.
With our strict certification and inspection standards, you can be sure that every cut of Carlton Farms meat you eat is all-natural, hand-processed, and delicious.

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Philanthropy

Proud to be a part of the communities we serve.

Just as Carlton Farms believes that working with local growers, restaurants, and markets ensures the best products and the best experiences for consumers, so too do we believe in the power of supporting the community through philanthropic efforts. Not only do we encourage our employees to be involved — and support them by providing financial backing and donated products — but we’ve also lent our hands to more than 45 community organizations, from schools and family service charities to civic development projects and youth sports groups.

Meat Cuts and Grading

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Get to know your cuts.

Knowing which cut of meat to select can make all the difference to your cooking style and menu. Here’s a guide of pork and beef cuts to help determine which suit your taste.

Pork.

  • A Boston butt (top left)
  • B Loin (top middle)
  • C Ham (back leg)
  • D Spare ribs and side (bottom middle)
  • E Shoulder (bottom left)

Beef.

  • A Round (far left)
  • B Sirloins (2nd left)
  • C Short loin (3rd left)
  • D Rib (4th left)
  • E Chuck (far right)
  • F Flank (bottom left triangle)
  • G Plate (bottom middle)
  • H Brisket (right under chuck)
  • I Shank (far right bottom)

USDA Total Quality Control

Quality You Can See and Taste.

Under federal law all meat processed in plants that sell products across state lines must be inspected for wholesomeness by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service. Federal inspectors supervise the cleanliness and operating procedures of our facility to ensure that meat is not contaminated or adulterated. USDA food inspectors and veterinary staff are in our facility every day to make certain that we deliver you safe, wholesome high-quality meat.

Carlton Farms was one of the first producers to help set common-sense processing standards for the meat industry. In 1986 we became one of the first USDA Total Quality Control meat-processing plants in the United States—and we work hard to consistently meet or exceed USDA standards for a clean, efficient, and humane facility.

Grades of Meat.
USDA quality grade marks, when applied, are usually seen on beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, butter, and eggs. Products with grades on them require an additional certification and subsequent higher costs to customers. We have chosen not to apply grades to our beef. At this time, pork is not a graded commodity.

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