Peco Spotlight: Stephanie Smith

When I heard on the news that Peco was opening in Pocahontas, I told my husband that I have to work there. Pocahontas has lots of row crops but not many other agricultural opportunities, and with a degree in animal agriculture from Arkansas State University, I was itching to work in the field I studied. Today I am the breeder manager and my husband, Joe, is the broiler manager for Peco Foods in Pocahontas.

“I love this job because of the people I’m around. They are salt to the earth people – the kind you just want to be around. We operate as a large, extended family, and I love that atmosphere.” – Stephanie Smith, Live Operations Animal Welfare Specialist

Animal welfare and biosecurity is one of the biggest responsibility of our service techs, because they are the ones regularly going to the farms. We take people and animal health and safety very seriously and make sure everyone on the farm is aware of heightened biosecurity levels, best management practices and potential threats through a minimum of weekly in-person visits.

“I look forward to what is ahead in the industry. Many people don’t see how much work and effort goes into everything we do. Looking into the future, I hope more people understand where their food comes from and how hard we work to make it safe and affordable.” – Stephanie Smith, Live Operations Animal Welfare Specialist

Our relationship with each contract producer is essential to cohesively working toward the same goal. Our contract producers are stewards of the land and want to work with us to protect the environment where they work because they have just as much buy-in as we do. They care about animal welfare, water conservation, electricity and other sustainability efforts and work alongside us to ensure we are doing the very best we can for the birds, the environment and the whole agriculture cycle.