Meat+Poultry - November 2018 - 31

HURRICANE MICHAEL STRIKES
Losses to agriculture wouldn't end with
Hurricane Florence. Hurricane Michael hit the
Florida Panhandle as a Category 4 storm - the
first hurricane on record to make landfall in
the Florida Panhandle and the strongest storm
to make landfall in the continental US since
Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
The National Hurricane Center of the
NOAA tracked Michael from Georgia to the
Carolinas and into Virginia. The powerful
storm packed gale-force winds and dropped
torrential rains on communities trying to
recover from Hurricane Florence.
The Georgia Dept. of Agriculture
temporarily suspended interstate movement
requirements for animals evacuating due to
Hurricane Michael. The suspension was set to
expire on Oct. 25, 2018.
Poultry producers in Georgia, Alabama and
North Carolina suffered significant losses and
damage to poultry facilities.
The Alabama Dept. of Agriculture and
Industries said the state lost 31,000 broilers
and 2,000 pullets. Between 50 and 75 chicken
houses received slight to moderate damage.
Frank Singleton, a spokesman for
Oakwood, Georgia-based Wayne Farms,
reported that the company's Dothan,
Alabama, operations were impacted by
Hurricane Michael.
"The Dothan plant lost power, and received
minor damage to some outbuildings, but no
significant damage. The plant will start back up
this afternoon," Singleton said. "Two Dothan
area farms suffered significant damage to three
houses, with some loss of birds (no specific
number available as yet). Other area farms lost
power but were not damaged and were able to
run systems off backup generators."
A feed mill in Ozark, Alabama, was not
damaged but did lose power during the storm,
Singleton added. He said Wayne Farms was
waiting for a local hospital to have power
restored before the feed mill. The company
reported employee injuries, but company
officials were waiting to hear from employees
in southwest Georgia.
"The value of the pullets and broilers lost
are: $40,000 to $50,000," Alabama Dept of
Agriculture said in a statement. "The houses
destroyed were all 25 to 30 years old, so their
value would be less than $100,000 to $150,000.

As far as the repair costs to the 50 to 75 houses
that were damaged, until we get estimates on
those, it would be hard to determine, most of
these are just tin and cool cell pad damage."
In Georgia, agriculture officials estimated
the industry's losses at $25 million. "Poultry
is Georgia's leading agricultural industry,
contributing nearly $23.3 billion to Georgia's
economy," the agency said. "Michael will
make a lasting impact on this poultry industry
with the loss of 97 houses and well over 2
million chickens."
On Oct. 11, Sanderson Farms suspended
the first shift at the company's Moultrie,
Georgia, plant, with plans to operate the
second shift weather permitting.
Tyson Foods temporarily shutdown the
company's poultry plant in Vienna, Georgia,
Oct. 10-12.
Employees at the company's distribution
center in Macon, Georgia, were dismissed early
on Oct. 10.
Other industries affected by the storm
included cattle, timber ($1 billion in losses),
cotton ($300 to $800 million in losses) and
pecans ($560 million in losses).
"Georgia has long led in the production of
several renowned commodities and now we
have the dubious distinction of also leading
in the devastation and incredible loss of these
prominent crops," said Georgia Agriculture
Commissioner Gary W. Black. "These are
generational losses that are unprecedented,
and it will take unprecedented ideas and
actions to help our farm families and rural
communities recover."
"The meter started at $1 billion and jumped
quickly to nearly $3 billion," Black added.
"Unfortunately, we are not quite sure where it
is going to stop."

"My pigs are
safe. We are
weathering
the storm.
Farmers
always do."
- MARLOWE VAUGHAN,
North Carolina hog farmer

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