Meat plants shutter up as Ian hammers Florida
Ian could cause coastal flooding of up to 3.7 meters
29 September 2022
1 minute read
By: Meat companies are bracing for the brunt of Hurricane Ian as it hits the southeastern United States where livestock and chickens are raised, while agribusiness Cargill Inc shuttered facilities that handle products ranging from grains to salt, reported Reuters.
Forecasters say Ian would unleash wind-driven high surf and torrential rains that may cause coastal flooding of up to 12 feet (3.7 meters) in Florida.
Cargill closed grain-processing, salt-packaging, and starches and sweeteners facilities in the Tampa, Florida, area, spokesman Daniel Sullivan said. The company also shut an animal-nutrition facility in the Poinciana-Kissimmee area, he said.
Cal-Maine Foods, the top US shell egg producer which also raises laying chickens in Florida, began preparing for the storm a week ago and is following it closely, Chief Financial Officer Max Bowman said.
Perdue Farms, which raises chickens for meat, is preparing sandbags, checking generators and making sure farms have enough feed, spokeswoman Diana Souder said. The privately held company is adjusting delivery and processing schedules as needed, she said.
Tyson Foods Inc, the biggest US meat company by sales, is preparing to deploy a disaster relief team, spokeswoman Kelly Hellbusch said.
