Respect for the inherent dignity, equality and worth of every human being has been a core value at Sanderson Farms since the company’s founding in 1947.
“This core value is deeply rooted in our corporate culture and drives our fundamental purpose, which is to feed a growing world,” said Joe F. Sanderson, Jr., chairman of the board and chief executive officer. “At Sanderson Farms, we treat all people with absolute respect and integrity, and we care for our communities and the world around us by investing in strong, healthy and thriving populations and engaging in sustainable practices that will nourish our global food supply for decades to come.”
Access to a safe, affordable and sustainable food supply is a basic human right. Yet, unfortunately, the United Nations estimates that between 720 and 811 million people regularly went hungry in 2020. By 2050, the world’s population is expected to increase by more than 25 percent, which means food producers like Sanderson Farms will play an integral role in feeding nearly two billion more people worldwide.
For our growing population, a healthy diet can help close the critical gap between food insecurity and nutrition. Chicken is one of the most sustainable and affordable protein sources on the market, and the poultry produced by Sanderson Farms can help to solve nationwide food security challenges. In fact, a four-ounce serving of Sanderson Farms’ boneless, skinless chicken breast has 27 grams of protein, which is almost half of the recommended daily amount for a standard 2,000 calorie diet. In addition to being an excellent source of protein, chicken is a nutritious component for a heart-healthy diet, aiding in weight loss and blood sugar regulation, benefiting bone health, promoting muscle growth, providing vitamins and minerals involved in brain function and containing nutrients linked with positive mood.
As global chicken consumption continues to rise, family farmers are vital to the production network that enables Sanderson Farms to meet demand and sustain communities. For example, the company partners with more than 1,000 independent family farmers that operate more than 6,200 state-of-the-art poultry houses. These facilities are monitored daily to ensure birds receive quality air, sustainable poultry bedding and a proper nutritional diet. In fiscal year 2021, independent family farmers produced and raised approximately 661 million chickens.
Sanderson Farms is committed to feeding the world in a sustainable manner, and the company is doing its part to conserve natural resources, recycle and reuse resources within operations and create renewable resources for use in operations through innovative technologies and processes.
"Efficient operations are by definition more sustainable operations because they consume fewer resources," said Sanderson. "As we expanded our operationss and increased production capacity from 722 million pounds in 1987 to over 5.2 billion pounds in 2022, we have remained intently focused on building on our position as one of the industry's most efficient poultry producers."
Sanderson Farms has never lost sight of its goal of producing high-quality and ethically sourced products, while also taking care of the communities and environments where the company operates.
Dwayne Holifield has worked for Sanderson Farms as the manager of environmental services for environmental operations for 16 years. In that time, he has developed a deep knowledge of the company’s use of reliable technology and modern design and treatments in order to meet and exceed its environmental goals.
“Our company goes above and beyond what is required to make sure that we do ‘the right thing,’” said Holifield. “Our land application systems apply fully treated water to hay crops and timber. The renewable energy projects provide safe and clean fuel from what is considered waste byproducts. Our water reuse projects reduce the amount of groundwater pulled from the aquifers. In doing business this way, our environmental record speaks for itself.”
Sanderson Farms is proud to have a long history of making a positive impact on communities all around the country, while providing food that is safe, affordable, and sustainable.
“For generations, Sanderson Farms has provided quality protein for Americans while also operating with transparency and total integrity,” said Sanderson. “We remain committed to caring for our world and navigating this critical intersection of food insecurity and equitable and sustainable farming practices.”
