The Family-Owned Farm Where Wegmans Sources Its Beef

If you're lucky enough to live in one of the states that has a Wegmans, you know the grocery store's exceptional customer service, high-quality produce, and inviting open-air market atmosphere makes it a standout among its competitors. It's also known for its quality meat selection, and Senterfitt Farms is a big reason why. Since 2011, the family-owned farm located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Madison, Virginia, has been an exclusive beef supplier to Wegmans.

In fact, Senterfitt Farms helped Wegmans snag our runner-up spot for the best popular chain grocery stores for meat. A natural farm that produces beef without the use of antibiotics or hormones, Senterfitt prioritizes cattle care in its ranching practices. "No matter the size of the operation, animal health is of the utmost importance," Owner Clay Jackson told the Virginia Farm Bureau, adding, "The sooner we can get them back out on grass, the less stress they have." He says you can set your clock by where his free-roaming cattle are grazing across the 1,000 acre farm. Animal welfare is a Wegmans value, making Senterfitt Farms a natural fit. The grocer hand-selects its suppliers to ensure its strict standards are met, which were developed with the help of animal welfare experts. Wegmans also requires periodic welfare audits to keep the bar high.

Owner Clay Jackson represents the third-generation of the heritage farm, and says cattle farming is in his blood. Jackson's descendants were western ranchers before moving east, and there's a ghost town in Texas with the Jackson family name to prove it. They've been in Virginia since the '70s, and Jackson said, "On the farm, everything from feed to cattle comes from within 15 miles," according to the Wegmans' website. "With people being concerned about where food is coming from, we like the idea of our product that's coming from right here in Virginia, going to stores, right here in Virginia," Jackson said, "And it doesn't get a whole lot better than that."

For Jackson, farming is more than a job. "We're preserving the land and a way of life here. We're not going anywhere — our farm is here to stay," Jackson told Wegmans. So while it may be debatable whether Wegmans is actually cheaper than other grocery stores, it's worth making the grocery store a go-to for affordable and high-quality beef. When you do, you'll be supporting passionate family-owned farms like Senterfitt.