Future of Meat Processing pt. 2

Work of Tomorrow

Next, Christian sits down with Will Harris III, the owner of White Oak Pastures in southern Georgia. Harris farms the same land that his great-grandfather settled in 1866, and tries to run the farm similarly to the more humane ways of the past. For example, in large meat plants, up to 400 cows are killed per hour. At White Oak Pastures, only 30 cows are killed per day. The circumstances of modern farming have changed dramatically over the last half-century. Harris mentions the brain drain that has occurred as people left farming communities for large cities, and the “industrialized, centralized, commoditized” beef market that has developed since World War II. That’s why he chose to return to the practices that might decrease his profit margins, but would make the product better. Notably, White Oak’s animals are not obese and unhealthy, which often happens to cows that are raised in meat plants and fed unnatural diets. These efforts have made White Oak’s productivity go down somewhat, and that cost gets passed on to consumers. In general, their foods cost about 30% more in stores; this number varies per animal. The chicken, which is more conducive to industrialization, can cost up to 200-300% more from White Oak. However, Harris cites the 8,000 pounds of meat that his farm produces daily and their growth from three hourly employees to 150 over the last 25 years as signs that White Oak’s business model is successful. Looking forward, White Oak’s unique business plan appears extremely viable. They produce a wide range of food products, and employ workers of all experience levels: college graduates, interns of all ages, and masters students. They are the largest private employer in their county. White Oak’s success shows that it is possible for farms to retain more humane practices, while not sacrificing economic development.