A method for handling longitudinal rod-like elements (R), in particular smoking rods, for storing sausage-shaped products (S), in particular sausages, in a system for producing and handling the sausage-shaped products (S), wherein the method comprises the steps of: providing a plurality of the rod-like elements (R), each rod-like element (R) having a length (L) defined between a first end (E1) and a second end (E2); providing a clipping machine configured to produce the sausage-shaped products (S); providing a hanging line configured to load the produced sausage-shaped products (S) on the rod-like elements (R) and comprising a measuring position for receiving the rod-like elements (R) and for measuring the length (L) of the rod-like elements (R), and a loading position for receiving the rod-like elements (R) and for loading the produced sausage-shaped products (S) on the rod-like elements (R), wherein the measuring position is defined by a first support element configured to receive the first end (E1) of one of the rod-like elements (R) and a second support element configured to receive the second end (E2) of the one of the rod-like elements (R), and wherein the loading position is defined by a third support element configured to receive the first end (E1) of the one of the rod-like elements (R) and a fourth support element configured to receive the second end (E2) of the one of the rod-like elements (R); feeding one of the rod-like elements (R) to the measuring position of the hanging line ; measuring the length (L) of said one of the rod-like elements (R) by a sensor device ; determining by a control unit whether the length (L) is within a tolerance range of a desired length (Ld); providing said one of the rod-like elements (R) in the loading position of the hanging line and loading a predetermined number of the produced sausage-shaped products (S) on said one of the rod-like elements (R), if the length (L) is within the tolerance range; discarding said one of the rod-like elements (R) from the hanging line , if the length (L) is not within the tolerance range. providing a plurality of the rod-like elements (R), each rod-like element (R) having a length (L) defined between a first end (E1) and a second end (E2); providing a clipping machine configured to produce the sausage-shaped products (S); providing a hanging line configured to load the produced sausage-shaped products (S) on the rod-like elements (R) and comprising a measuring position for receiving the rod-like elements (R) and for measuring the length (L) of the rod-like elements (R), and a loading position for receiving the rod-like elements (R) and for loading the produced sausage-shaped products (S) on the rod-like elements (R), wherein the measuring position is defined by a first support element configured to receive the first end (E1) of one of the rod-like elements (R) and a second support element configured to receive the second end (E2) of the one of the rod-like elements (R), and wherein the loading position is defined by a third support element configured to receive the first end (E1) of the one of the rod-like elements (R) and a fourth support element configured to receive the second end (E2) of the one of the rod-like elements (R); feeding one of the rod-like elements (R) to the measuring position of the hanging line ; measuring the length (L) of said one of the rod-like elements (R) by a sensor device ; determining by a control unit whether the length (L) is within a tolerance range of a desired length (Ld); providing said one of the rod-like elements (R) in the loading position of the hanging line and loading a predetermined number of the produced sausage-shaped products (S) on said one of the rod-like elements (R), if the length (L) is within the tolerance range; discarding said one of the rod-like elements (R) from the hanging line , if the length (L) is not within the tolerance range. <EOS>