MACON, Ga. — Ethica, a Georgia nonprofit healthcare organization, is bringing pork raised by Georgia farmers and processed by Georgia Premium Meats of Colquitt to the tables of some long-term care facilities.

In 2019, the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation, Hometown Health, and several healthcare and food service visionaries created the Georgia Rural Hospital Collaborative to create a direct connection between Georgia farmers and rural healthcare facilities. 

It started with fruits and vegetables. With success under its belt, the Collaborative operates Georgia Premium Meats, providing Georgia Grown meat to healthcare facilities.

Ethica joins an ever-growing community of Georgia agricultural producers, manufacturers, and retailers committed to connecting their products to Georgia consumers. With this action, Ethica is demonstrating its commitment to Georgia’s agriculture industry and the Georgia Grown program by bringing Georgia-raised and processed pork to its residents via a collaboration between Ethica and Georgia Premium Meats, a nonprofit arm of the Georgia Rural Hospital Food Collaborative.

“This is where we live and serve, and it is great to be able to invest back into our local communities,” said Brandon Poole, Executive Vice President of Operations. 

Ethica has been working on this collaboration with Georgia Grown for over two years.

“It is exciting to see it finally coming together,” Poole said.

To introduce the Georgia Grown program, residents participated in taste tests at several centers including Wynfield Park Health and Rehabilitation in Albany, Joe-Anne Burgin Health & Rehabilitation in Cuthbert and Taylor County Health & Rehabilitation in Butler. “We were pleased with the results of the tastings and are excited to introduce Georgia Grown meats in our spring/summer menu,” commented Alisa Vallbracht, director of Dining Services for Ethica.

“Shorter supply chains are good for everyone. They are reliable and provide new markets for local farmers and workers who process the food. They get food more quickly and reliably to the consumer, keep money in the local economy, and save consumers money,” said David Bridges, director of Georgia’s Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation.

Ethica and Georgia Premium Meats have aligned with Gordon Food Service to bring Georgia Grown protein to Georgia skilled nursing facility residents. Fruits and vegetables from local farms will be next.