NC farmers to destroy 1.5m chickens

[JABIII]

North Carolina farmers start euthanizing 1.5 million chickens after meat plant coronavirus outbreaks
APUpdated: 11:22 AM EDT May 25, 2020
Associated Press
RALEIGH, N.C. —


Coronavirus outbreaks at meat processing plants are forcing North Carolina farmers to euthanize 1.5 million chickens, according to a state official.

Assistant Agriculture Commissioner Joe Reardon told The News & Observer that this is the first time during the pandemic that North Carolina farmers have had to euthanize their animals. Roughly a third of the 1.5 million chickens already had been killed, Reardon said.

Agriculture officials said Thursday that 2,006 workers in 26 processing plants across the state have tested positive for coronavirus. Workers and their advocates said the meat industry was slow to provide protective equipment and take other coronavirus-related safety measures.

Chicken and hog farmers in other states also have been euthanizing millions of animals during the COVID-19 pandemic. In April, for example, the Baltimore Sun reported that coronavirus-related staffing shortages at chicken processing plants will lead farms in Maryland and Delaware to destroy nearly 2 million chickens.

North Carolina hog farmers have not taken steps to euthanize their animals, Reardon said.

[Johnny Reb]

I spoke to a BBQ restaurant owner earlier and he said he only had 1 weeks worth of meat left and suppliers have cancelled future orders. He found some brisket in Texas and was paying 2x the regular per lb price (plus the shipping) to hold him another week...then wasn’t sure what he was going to do if conditions didn’t change. He also said other Columbia/Lexington restaurants are in the same situation.


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[JABIII]

The majority of restaurants in SC may not be open for business in 6 months if we can't put this foolishness behind us.

According to Brizek, most respondents say they can only afford to stay open for 4-6 months under current conditions, despite South Carolina not setting any new rules for restaurant operations.

https://www.postandcourier.com/blog/...206346fa1.html

[SaltMuck]

Just wait til the National Guard gets deployed and eats up the rest of all the chickens.

[JABIII]

[willyworm]

I say, I say, I say listen to me when I'm talking to ya boy.

[2thDoc]

i dont understand macroeconomics or chicken farming...but cant they just keep the chickens instead of killing them? or is it cost prohibitive? I guess its easier to feed a young chicken?

[Geetch]

How do you kill 1.5-million chickens?

[ccleroy]

How do you kill 1.5-million chickens?

Turn off the fans.

[JABIII]

Hire Ray Tanner?

[SCmudder7071]

Turn off the fans.

Thirteen minutes with no fans equals a total house kill. This is our last flock because we are just tired of dealing with the contracts and it has been cursed apparently. Lost #4 house to a fire, main water line in #2 burst and flooded it and #1, and now this.

[SaltMuck]

How do you kill 1.5-million chickens?

Halftime.

[Sportin' Woodies]

Lol

[Mobetter]

How do you kill 1.5-million chickens?

Foam.

[Hogg]

Put a couple if jack russells in a hen house and they would do work.

[Palmetto Bug]

Thirteen minutes with no fans equals a total house kill. This is our last flock because we are just tired of dealing with the contracts and it has been cursed apparently. Lost #4 house to a fire, main water line in #2 burst and flooded it and #1, and now this.

Convert the house to raise bobwhites and sell them for $3.50 each. The guys I buy from can't keep up with the demand and run out before the end of every season.

[Woodiewacker82]

Dabo could do it.

[PostMaster85]

The company I grow for raises for restaurants. Was told by the serviceman today that they are placing extra birds starting this week. They bought eggs and hatched them to make up the difference. Just 2 weeks ago noone placed chicks and now they are placing extras to catch up to the demand of restaurants opening up.

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[JABIII]

Convert the house to raise bobwhites and sell them for $3.50 each. The guys I buy from can't keep up with the demand and run out before the end of every season.

Pintails will fetch $16.75...

[jfields47]

Keeping the birds longer seems like a simple way to solve this but unfortunately, that will not work. Most processing plants can only process up to a certain size bird and after that size, the bird can't be run through the plant. I had to keep my birds a few days longer than I ever have but change in feed formula helped keep some weight off. House of Raeford elected to sell directly to the public to try to keep this from happening. So far, it has worked. The process of growing poultry...pullets, breeders, broilers....just doesn't stop like a manufacturing plant.