Georgia commissioner of agriculture Gary Black and Will Bentley, executive vice president of the Georgia Cattlemen’s Assn., welcomed guests to the Châtel Farms Open House in Reidsville, Ga., last month. The event, hosted by FPL Food LLC, showcased three state-of-the-art cattle feeding barns and served as an opportunity to strengthen partnerships between the processor and southeastern cattle producers. The Open House is part of FPL Food’s continuing efforts to produce high-quality beef in Georgia.

“Our vision at FPL Food is to produce a one-of-a-kind product that is truly pasture-to-plate,” said François Léger, founder and president of FPL Food and Châtel Farms. “We depend on suppliers who produce high-quality cattle to fulfill that vision. The Open House was a chance to illustrate how we can work together to create a more sustainable product and benefit the beef industry in the Southeast.”

Châtel Farms offers new marketing options for high-quality feeder and finishing cattle in the region. The facility has a feeding capacity of up to 6,000 head and will act as a model for similar facilities in the future.

“We want to encourage producers to focus on raising cattle that will deliver high-quality beef,” Brad Chandler, director of live operations at FPL Food, said. “There is value in developing high-quality feeder calves, and Châtel Farms provides an opportunity to keep that value in the Southeast not only for local producers but for consumers.”

Cattle that are fed and finished at Châtel Farms are transported only two hours away for processing at FPL Food’s facility in Augusta, Ga. Cattle are able to remain in the Southeast, which helps reduce impacts of the carbon footprint and deliver locally produced beef to retailers and foodservice operators in the region.

Châtel Farms primarily pursues feeder cattle with Angus-based genetics raised without added hormones or antibiotics for utilization in FPL Food’s signature branded beef programs. A webpage exclusively designed to communicate with cattle producers and outline the program requirements is now available at www.FPLFood.net/cattle-producers.

FPL Food is the top privately owned processor of fresh beef products in the Southeast, with headquarters in Augusta. Through the commitment of more than 600 employees across two facilities and a farm, the company offers several brands to retail and foodservice customers. Whether delivering beef products domestically or exporting worldwide, FPL Food said it is dedicated to providing traditional and custom-quality meat items to satisfy the needs of every customer.