Paddock-to-plate meat boxes

Local households, restaurants and cafes, and shoppers at farmers' markets or through pre-orders and a simple website.

Price per box or per kilo, usually higher than selling live animals to agents, but you cover processing, packaging, cold storage and delivery costs.

• Raising and handling livestock
• Customer service and basic marketing
• Organising orders, processing dates and deliveries
• Record keeping

• Meat must usually be processed at a licensed facility to be sold, so check your state's rules on labelling, storage and transport
• Property Identification Code (PIC), animal identification and movement paperwork
• Pig keepers should check feeding rules and biosecurity requirements, including the ban on feeding food scraps
• Council zoning and approvals for animals and any on-farm sales
• Public liability and product liability insurance, plus cold chain handling to keep food safe
• Processors can book out far ahead, which affects your cash flow

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $8,000 to $35,000, depending on your land, shelter, water, the animals you raise and how you take orders from customers. You need suitable small acreage to begin.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,500 to $7,000, depending on how many animals you raise, your box sizes and how many customers you reach. Processors can book out far ahead, which affects your cash flow.

Meat must usually be processed at a licensed facility to be sold, so check your state's rules on labelling, storage and transport. Also check PIC and animal movement paperwork, council zoning, insurance, and pig feeding and biosecurity rules if relevant.