Southern States Feed Mill Fact Sheet

Southern States was organized as Virginia Seed Service, with a primary goal of providing certified seed and products that would produce extra yield, to make the business of farming more profitable.

In 1925, Southern States expanded its offering to include manufactured feed. Farmers faced 2 problems. First, mixed and formula feeds were priced extremely high. Second, the quality of feed available was not the best. The combination provided a “cooperative” opportunity to serve farmers with solutions to both problems.

In the late 20s and early 30s, Southern States started a policy where they marked the formulas and specifications on tags that were attached to all feed bags, which revolutionized the feed industry. By providing tags, the producers could be assured of a consistent manufactured feed, one with identifiable ingredients. Southern States was also a pioneer in bulk feed delivery. Once feed mills were established, bulk delivery became a cost saving innovation for farmers.

Southern States has continued to be a leader in the feed industry. In 1954, Cooperative Research Farms (CRF) was organized to conduct research for the benefit of their customers. Southern States was a founding member of CRF. Today, CRF is the world’s largest international private animal nutrition research network. The research provides nutritional advantages—that means additional income to the producers.

HACCP Certification

(Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points)

Today, all Southern States mills have HACCP certification. HACCP is an international program designed to ensure the safety of all food and feed products. HACCP certification gives our customers the assurance that the feed products they buy are safe and healthy for their livestock. Another potential benefit of feeding HACCP-certified feed is that your animals will have a higher value in the marketplace.

American Feed Industry Association

Safe Feed/Safe Food was created to recognize companies demonstrating their pledge to deliver safe and wholesome feed, while enhancing customer confidence in their products.

Park City Feed Mill Awards

Each year, the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) and Feed Management magazine co-sponsor the Feed Mill of the Year Award. The winner of the 2007 nationwide award was the Southern States Park City, Kentucky feed mill. The award was based on the quality of operation, efficiency, safety and biosecurity competencies.

The 2007 award is the second Feed Mill of the Year recognition Southern States has received in the 23 years the national competition has been held. Southern States mills regularly place high in the annual program, as well as other related competitions that measure feed mill truck fleets. Park City earned the “Most Improved Truck Fleet” award a year ago and a number of years earlier was honored as having the nation’s top truck fleet.

These award programs are designed to be a tool that feed mills can use to determine how they match up against other top facilities and where they can improve.