May 14, 2012
White Oak Pastures

May 15, 2012
Thompson Farms Smokehouse

In May 2012 a group of Ei Partners and friends traveled to South Georgia for farm tours. Learning the farm’s practices and assessing the current scenario for protein-transport packaging were the catalysts for the trip. Ei chose family-run farms committed to sustainability and animal welfare at the core of their ethics and operations.

The farms, White Oak Pastures and Thompson Farms Smokehouse, are Whole Foods suppliers and meet the stringent Whole Foods 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating Standards with a 5+ designation. The ZWA Blog article, Consumer Demand: A Powerful Voice to Affect Change, chronicles the empowering tours.

For a pictorial recap of the farm tours, see the Ei FB albums, 05-14-12 White Oak Pastures Tour, and 05-15-12 Thompson Farms Tour. WARNING: Some Thompson Farms photos are graphic yet honor the process and the livestock who gave their lives to fulfill consumer demand for animal protein.