Situated on over 1,100 acres in rural Georgia, Châtel Farms is the epitome of pasture-to-plate-perfection. Most of our staff and ranch hands have been a part of our operation since it started, properly raising and caring for our cattle in the most ethical and sustainable manner imaginable.
Châtel Farms in Reidsville, GA is the center of innovation for our sustainability story
We believe in doing the right thing, especially when it comes to our cattle. Humane handling of our animals is at the forefront of what we do. Our studies have proven that cattle raised in low-stress environments produce more consistent, higher-quality beef. We want our customers to enjoy the flavor of our products and feel good about how we raise our cattle, too.
FPL Food takes care of the welfare of our animals by focusing on every step of the production process.
We were the first U.S. beef processor to install Arrowsight, a third-party Remote Video Auditing (RVA) system that verifies humane handling practices.
After arriving at the processing facility, cattle rest in pens overnight. This further reduces stress, helping to improve overall handling and produce higher-quality beef.
Our facilities are certified according to national Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) guidelines, which help producers meet or exceed the product quality today’s consumers expect.
All employees undergo training on humane handling including a test during their initial orientation. Refresher training is held annually for all employees handling live animals.
We pride ourselves on being 100% transparent in all our farm’s practices. And these self-designed practices are what make our entire operation a one-of-a-kind beef supplier to the world. Our cattle are raised on Georgia green pastures and fed our own custom blend of local grain, mostly grown on our fields. We reduced transportation to our harvest plant to help us maintain a lower carbon footprint and more importantly, less stress on our livestock. Our cattle are minimally processed and have no artificial ingredients, so you can taste the difference in our superior beef products.
FPL buys Reidsville, GA 1,200+ acre farm to bring local, sustainably grown cattle to the state and the region.
Initial state-of-the-art construction completed which includes a feed mill, monoslope barns, ample grow yard, composting and corn flaking. Legacy herd includes Angus and Akaushi (highest level of Wagyu beef) and are raised naturally without added hormones and antibiotics.
Châtel Farms sends 150 head-of-cattle to market each week under Southern River brand name. DNA testing with animals on farm to fuel performance. Collaboration begins with the University of Georgia and the USDA.
FPL initiates calf buyback program in the Southeast to scale production and support local family farms, sharing learning to help those very farms thrive. FPL starts buying reclamation items for cattle pens, including peanut shells.
Cattle production reaches 300 head per week, with nearly 80% grading Prime or Upper 2/3 Choice.
Initial study finds some cattle are carbon neutral. Overall operation cuts nearly 40% of GHG emissions vs. a conventional farm. Certification process initiated with Low Carbon Beef.
Châtel Farms brand beef to remain carbon neutral. FPL exports learnings across the industry improving the trade’s carbon footprint and the overall quality of U.S. beef.
We pride ourselves on being 100% transparent in all our farm’s practices. And these self-designed practices are what make our entire operation a one-of-a-kind beef supplier to the world. Our cattle are raised on Georgia green pastures and fed our own custom blend of local grain, mostly grown on our fields. We reduced transportation to our harvest plant to help us maintain a lower carbon footprint and more importantly, less stress on our livestock. Our cattle are minimally processed and have no artificial ingredients, so you can taste the difference in our superior beef products.
With 14 pens throughout our farm, we have up to 3,000 head of cattle at any given time. The cattle are housed here for approximately 10 weeks, and once they’ve reached the appropriate size, we move them to our monoslope barns.
It is imperative that our cattle experience as little stress as possible, and our monoslope barns are designed to help alleviate environmental stress and improve the health and comfort of the livestock. Our farm features three monoslope barns, each 1,260 feet long and 80 feet wide that can accommodate up to 2,000 cattle. Each barn houses 12 pens with manure pits and dry beds, allowing us to contain waste responsibly.
We have the only steam corn flaker east of the Mississippi. This unique feed provides greater nutritional value and makes consumption up to 20% easier to digest. Plus, it uses less corn to produce the same amount of grain, resulting in less manure from cattle without sacrificing important nutrients.
Staying connected on the farm is essential, which is why we equip all feed trucks and wagons with GPS so we can track and ensure we’re feeding our cattle correctly. Plus, we use Micro Technologies software to monitor feed intakes, ingredients, conversions, heat stress, weather conditions, cattle treatment and weight.
We pride ourselves on a fully contained nutrient management program, meaning all silage is grown right on our farm. We go the extra mile of composting our cattle manure, using it to enrich the soil and replace nutrients from harvested crops, setting up new crops for greater success. Our goal is to grow and harvest at least three crops per year for use as silage for rations or grazing. The end result is a feed program that is unrivaled in the industry and produces happy, healthy herds.
We pride ourselves on a fully contained nutrient management program, meaning all silage is grown right on our farm. We go the extra mile of composting our cattle manure, using it to enrich the soil and replace nutrients from harvested crops, setting up new crops for greater success. Our goal is to grow and harvest at least three crops per year for use as silage for rations or grazing. The end result is a feed program that is unrivaled in the industry and produces happy, healthy herds.