Talking Turkey

By Barbara Aitken Jenkins 

Multimedia Coordinator at Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative

from the November issue of Arkansas Living Magazine

Arkansas growers make Thanksgiving possible

Fried, roasted or smoked, turkey is the centerpiece of Thanksgiving. One day a year, millions of Americans from all walks of life come together, sit at the table and fill their plates with a slab of turkey and a side of fixins, topped with tradition.

Arkansas farmers are vital players in making Thanksgiving happen each year, especially those who grow turkeys for “America’s most recognized turkey brand,” Butterball.

Theron and Jeannie Rowbotham raise turkeys for Butterball at their Infinity Ranch in Hagarville. Photo by Barbara Aitken Jenkins.

In Johnson County, Theron and Jeannie Rowbotham and their two children know there’s a chance the Thanksgiving turkey on their table came from their own farm. For the past eight years, the Rowbothams have raised turkeys for Butterball.

Theron, a seventh-generation farmer at Infinity Ranch in Hagarville, grew up in a family that’s raised poultry, mostly broilers, for more than 70 years. In 2017, when he responded to a newspaper ad seeking growers for Butterball, a new era began.

“We signed the papers [to build the turkey houses] the day we brought my oldest daughter home from the hospital,” Jeannie reminisces.

Today, their four houses sit nestled between the family’s cattle pastures.

The Rowbothams host more than 64,000 turkey hens every three months. Some 16,000 turkeys are placed in each house and are raised from 1 day old to approximately 3.5 months old.

The Rowbothams are just one of approximately 70 farmers who grow Butterball turkeys across the Arkansas River Valley.

For the Rowbothams, having turkey houses is an extension of their calling for animal stewardship.

Theron says, “Our turkeys are the first thing we do and the last thing we do at the end of the day. We get up, check on them, make sure everything’s working right — feed, water, air. Then I go to work as an engineer at Nuclear One, come back, and check them again before bed to make sure they’re all tucked in, just like our kids.”

He continues, “At the end of the day, we are caregivers.”

Commitment and care

The Rowbothams are part of a bigger story that makes Arkansas a power player in the turkey industry nationwide.

Every whole Butterball turkey that is placed on a dining room table this Thanksgiving comes from one of the processing plants in either Ozark or Huntsville.

Turkeys are big business for the state of Arkansas, ranking No. 4 in turkey production in the United States. The turkey industry brings more than $614 million to the state each year, according to the 2024 University of Arkansas Agriculture Profile. Bottom line — those statistics equate to Arkansas being a big player in national turkey production.

But for everyone at Butterball — from growers to processors to other employees — the numbers are not the main focus.

For Dr. Kabel Robbins of Ozark, who serves as the director of live operations and staff veterinarian for Butterball, the well-being of the millions of Butterball turkeys spanning Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma is his main focus.

“If we put that turkey first and make sure we are taking the proper care of it, then it’s going to take care of us,” Robbins explains. “With regular visits to farms, and problem-solving with growers, Robbins ensures that all Butterball turkeys remain healthy and safe for all consumers.”

Robbins explains that the culture and family values of Butterball growers are central to his role: “Without Butterball or our farmers, the magic of Thanksgiving would not happen.”

He adds that building relationships with growers, having an open-door policy, and being willing to talk about both joys and challenges is a big puzzle piece to making Butterball successful.

He also admits that Thanksgiving is his wife’s favorite holiday, but he prefers the Fourth of July. Despite his preference, he believes the turkey holiday is still special.

“It’s really an honor to be peppered with turkey questions at the table,” he says with a laugh. “It’s an opportunity to share how much we love this industry and are proud of the turkeys we bring to the table.”

Tradition and trust

Mindy Wharton, Butterball’s public relations manager, believes that the company brings the magic of Thanksgiving to the table one turkey at a time.

“It’s ingrained in our culture to buy Butterball — it’s what you grab because it’s what you trust.”

As a whole, Wharton shares that as the largest turkey producer in the United States, Butterball’s goal is to bring people together around food, 365 days a year.

“Our people know they are truly feeding the world,” Wharton says.

Wharton urges anyone who wants to cook a turkey this year to call into the iconic Butterball Turkey Talk-LineTM, a 40-year institution staffed by more than 50 culinary experts who will help answer any and all turkey preparation questions. The service is open during November and December; call 1-800-BUTTERBALL or text (844) 877-3456 for assistance.

Whether you are purchasing, preparing or just eating, Arkansans should take pride in our turkeys this Thanksgiving season. The farmers who raised them are your neighbors, your friends and your rural family.

Jeannie shares, “Even if my centerpiece turkey was not grown [on my farm], I know it was raised on a farm just like ours, by people who care just as much as we do. …When people go to the store and buy that turkey, I hope they think of a family like ours.”