Grass-fed pioneer turns on zero-waste, Certified Humane® poultry plant
by Sustainable Food News September 2, 2011 White Oak Pastures, Inc., Georgia’s largest certified-organic farm and grass-fed beef producer, Thursday started up operations at its new, zero-waste, Certified Humane®, poultry abattoir.The Bluffton, Ga., fifth-generation ranch raises cage- and crate-free chickens, turkeys, geese, and ducks – as well as hundreds of head of cattle – that roam freely on its 1,000-acre, certified-organic farm, where the new plant is located.
It is the only poultry plant available to independent farmers raising birds in Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama. The plant handles the following birds: • Pasture raised • Heritage breed • Global Animal Partnership Step 5 (Highest rating) • Animal Welfare Approved • Certified Humane • Free range • Georgia Grown • USDA inspected
Will Harris, owner of White Oak Pastures, told Sustainable Food News his birds will be distributed to Whole Foods Market locations in Georgia and contiguous states by Halperns’ Purveyors of Steak and Seafood, Destiny Organics, Atlanta Foods International and Buckhead Beef gourmet beef distributors, a division of Sysco – the same firms that distribute White Oak’s beef to Whole Foods stores.
Harris said increasing poultry numbers helps further develop its Serengeti Plains rotational grazing model, which means large ruminants (cows), followed by small ruminants (sheep), followed by birds (chickens and turkeys).
The grazing model allows pastures to be grazed and fertilized in three different ways. “We have learned that this production model is undisputedly the best management system for our land and our livestock,” Harris said.
White Oak Pastures beef can be purchased at more than 1,000 Publix supermarkets throughout the Southeast and at Whole Foods Market locations from Miami to Princeton, N.J. White Oak Pastures cranked up operations at its $2 million, on-farm, USDA-inspected beef processing plant in the spring of 2008 allowing it to significantly expand production and distribution of its beef, as well as beef raised by ranchers in the region.
White Oak’s beef plant – one of only two on-farm, USDA-inspected grass-fed beef processing facilities in the country – now processes about 140 head a week, Harris told SFN.
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Sustainable Food News
Posted: September 2, 2011 by Certified Humane
Grass-fed pioneer turns on zero-waste, Certified Humane® poultry plant
by Sustainable Food News
September 2, 2011
White Oak Pastures, Inc., Georgia’s largest certified-organic farm and grass-fed beef producer, Thursday started up operations at its new, zero-waste, Certified Humane®, poultry abattoir.The Bluffton, Ga., fifth-generation ranch raises cage- and crate-free chickens, turkeys, geese, and ducks – as well as hundreds of head of cattle – that roam freely on its 1,000-acre, certified-organic farm, where the new plant is located.
It is the only poultry plant available to independent farmers raising birds in Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama.
The plant handles the following birds:
• Pasture raised
• Heritage breed
• Global Animal Partnership Step 5 (Highest rating)
• Animal Welfare Approved
• Certified Humane
• Free range
• Georgia Grown
• USDA inspected
Will Harris, owner of White Oak Pastures, told Sustainable Food News his birds will be distributed to Whole Foods Market locations in Georgia and contiguous states by Halperns’ Purveyors of Steak and Seafood, Destiny Organics, Atlanta Foods International and Buckhead Beef gourmet beef distributors, a division of Sysco – the same firms that distribute White Oak’s beef to Whole Foods stores.
Harris said increasing poultry numbers helps further develop its Serengeti Plains rotational grazing model, which means large ruminants (cows), followed by small ruminants (sheep), followed by birds (chickens and turkeys).
The grazing model allows pastures to be grazed and fertilized in three different ways.
“We have learned that this production model is undisputedly the best management system for our land and our livestock,” Harris said.
White Oak Pastures beef can be purchased at more than 1,000 Publix supermarkets throughout the Southeast and at Whole Foods Market locations from Miami to Princeton, N.J.
White Oak Pastures cranked up operations at its $2 million, on-farm, USDA-inspected beef processing plant in the spring of 2008 allowing it to significantly expand production and distribution of its beef, as well as beef raised by ranchers in the region.
White Oak’s beef plant – one of only two on-farm, USDA-inspected grass-fed beef processing facilities in the country – now processes about 140 head a week, Harris told SFN.
http://sustainablefoodnews.com/story.php?news_id=13745
Category: news