Ag News

Sanderson Farms buys Harrison Poultry; Pilgrim's opening new plant

On July 28, Wayne-Sanderson Farms announced it is buying Georgia-based Harrison Poultry, a major producer of high-quality chicken known for its proprietary “Golden Goodness” range of traditional, international and halal poultry products.

The sale is effective immediately and includes transfer of all Harrison Poultry assets to Wayne-Sanderson Farms, including live production, hatchery, feed mill, manufacturing, production and transportation facilities and equipment in association with Harrison’s Bethlehem and Crawfordville area operations. Integrated operations will begin immediately, and the company expects minimal changes as day-to-day operations continue as normal.

Wayne-Sanderson Farms leadership began exploring the idea of the Harrison Poultry acquisition earlier this year as part of its strategic growth initiative. The two companies have complementary offerings and began negotiations to finalize the sale after thorough analysis to ensure the respective operations and workplace cultures would be a good fit.

Harrison Poultry was founded by R. Harold Harrison and has been in continuous operation since 1958.  Harrison was an early adopter of integrated poultry management. The family has continued to grow the company in the years since his passing, investing millions into the rural Georgia economy.

Wayne-Sanderson Farms President and CEO Kevin McDaniel will continue to lead the organization.

In other poultry news, Pilgrim’s announced on July 24 that it will build a new prepared foods facility in Walker County. The plant will support more than 630 jobs once it reaches full capacity.

Pilgrim’s currently supports an estimated 7,500 jobs and operates seven food production facilities in Georgia, in addition to supporting facilities like feed mills and hatcheries.

The new facility, located at the Walker County Business Park in LaFayette, will produce a variety of fully cooked chicken products to support the growth of its fast-growing prepared foods business. The project is expected to get underway in the fall of 2025, and hiring is expected to begin in 2027, aligning with the expected completion of the first phase of construction.

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