Company: Fieldale Farms
Located in Stephens County: 2005
Address: 270 Fdc Biproduct Dr Eastanollee, GA 30538
Company Website: www.fieldale.com
In 1995, the Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported that Fieldale Farms Corporation was the sixth largest privately owned company in the state of Georgia. The company is a "fully integrated" facility for processing whole chickens smaller than 2.5 pounds and oversees its product at every stage. Chickens are bred at 700 different Fieldale breeder farms, hatched at one of four Fieldale hatcheries, fed with the product of Fieldale field mills, and processed and packed at one of Fieldale's three processing plants in North Georgia.
In January 1946, Tom Arrendale and Lee Arrendale started growing live broilers which would eventually evolve to include chicken processing. After years of successfully operating their business, the brothers opted to sell all their interests to Ralston Purina in 1961. During the same time, Joe Hatfield also decided to sell his Gainesville Fryers poultry operation to Ralston Purina. All three men went to work for their former companies’ new owner.
By 1971, Ralston Purina decided to sell off all of its poultry operations in the United States. Hatfield and the Arrendale brothers took advantage of the opportunity and bought a sizable share of the broiler operation and acquired the entire Northeast Georgia operation of Ralston Purina. Almost exactly a decade later, the three men reacquired their old company, this time a much larger company. They combined their last names and in February 1972 officially started operating as “Fieldale”.
Fieldale’s operations in Stephens County includes both a hatchery and a protein conversion plant which are located near the Meadowbrook Industrial Park. Both plants total approximately 95,000 square feet and have a total of 80 employees.
Fieldale continues to puts an emphasis on supporting students. In Stephens County, they support several groups including the Stephens County High School band and auxiliary as well as the Stephens County Middle School band and auxiliary.
Tom Arrendale, Lee Arrendale, and Joe Hatfield created one of the largest poultry industries in Northeast Georgia that continues to grow. All three founders have since passed away, but left a lasting mark on Northeast Georgia and Stephens County.
For additional questions on Fieldale visit their website at www.fieldale.com or leave a comment below.
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