White Oak Pastures

White Oak Pastures is a multi-generational, organic farm in Bluffton, Georgia in the United States. It is the largest and most diverse organic farm in Georgia (as of 2020 the farm was 3,200 acres).[1][2] The farm grows vegetables, and raises 10 species of animals including: goats, hogs, chickens, sheep, and ducks.[1] The farm is run by Will Harris and his family, who are the fourth generation of their lineage to run the farm.[3] It is the only farm in the United States with federally approved slaughterhouses.[1] The farm has been recognized for its progressive, no-waste, regenerative agriculture practices, including regenerative grazing, which sequesters carbon in the farmland, and results in "rich, healthy soil".[4][5][6]

White Oak Pastures
Town/CityBluffton, Georgia
CountryUnited States
Coordinates31.5209°N 84.8660°W / 31.5209; -84.8660
EstablishedAfter the Civil War
OwnerWill Harris
Area3,200-acre (13 km2)

History and practices

White Oak Pastures was started by Will Harris' great-grandfather after the Civil War (which ended in 1865). It was then passed down from father to son, and was expanded into a truck farm. The following son, Will Harris' father, expanded the farm a cow-calf operation that used modern practices such as hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, and synthetic fertilizers.[7][1][4] In the 1990s, Will Harris began to pay more attention to the less-than-ideal treatment, and general poor health, of cattle being grown and processed by conventional methods. For example: cattle raised at White Oak Pastures would need to be shipped elsewhere for processing, which often involved spending "30 hours on [a] truck, with the ones on the bottom getting covered in feces and urine".[1]

In 1995 Harris began transitioning to holistic agriculture practices, which included stopping common practices like giving the cows hormones for growth.[2] In 2000 White Oak stopped using chemical fertilizers on their pastures. In 2006 they began selling their meat to Whole Foods Market. In 2008 White Oak Pastures opened the first federally approved, on-site slaughterhouses, where they began processing cattle into beef. In 2010 they added a chicken plant. These facilities were designed in part by Temple Grandin.[1]

In 2014 their overall sales were reported to be around $28 million.[1] In 2015 they were recognized by The Savory Institute as a leader in regenerative agriculture practices.[5] In 2020 their overall sales were reported to be around $20 million.[2]

References
  1. Severson, Kim (2015-03-10). "At White Oak Pastures, Grass-Fed Beef Is Only the Beginning". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  2. Sorvino, Chloe. "Going Local: The Case For Bringing America's Meat Supply Closer To Home". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  3. Clifford, Catherine. "These cattle ranchers are raising better beef, spending less — and reducing carbon emissions". CNBC. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  4. "Is regenerative agriculture the secret to reversing climate change? Big Food thinks so". NBC News. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  5. Lampasona, Alexa. "White Oak Pastures Receives Savory Award". Atlanta Restaurants & Food (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution). Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  6. Matsumoto, Nancy (August 13, 2019). "Is Grass-Fed Beef Really Better For The Planet? Here's The Science". NPR. Archived from the original on February 15, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  7. Wells, Myrydd (2016-10-13). "White Oak Pastures' General Store is the first retail store to open in Bluffton in more than 40 years". Atlanta Magazine. Retrieved 2023-03-25.
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