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At least 1.7 million chickens drowned in Hurricane Florence's floodwaters
Steve Helber/AP
Sanderson Farms said Tuesday that about 1.7 million chickens have drowned after Hurricane Florence caused North Carolina rivers to overflow.
At least 60 farm buildings where the animals were being raised for market drowned, the major poultry producer said.
Additionally, about 30 farms near Lumberton, North Carolina have been cut off due to flood waters, meaning more chickens could die with shipments of food unable to reach them.
About 1.7 million chickens have been killed in flooding from Florence as rising North Carolina rivers swamped at least 60 farm buildings where the animals were being raised for market, according to a major poultry producer.
Sanderson Farms said Tuesday the losses occurred at independent farms that supply its poultry processing plants. The company said its facilities suffered no major damage, but supply disruptions and flooded roadways had caused shutdowns at some plants.
In addition, about 30 farms near Lumberton have been isolated by flood waters, hampering the delivery of feed to animals. The lack of food could cause additional birds to die if access isn't restored quickly, the company said.
The N.C. Pork Council says some hogs also may have died when farms flooded, but that mortality figures are not yet available. The pork industry trade group says farmers have been working before and after the storm to move at-risk animals to higher ground. The industry lost about 2,800 hogs during flooding from Hurricane Matthew in 2016.
Steve Helber/AP
The Department of Environmental Quality said the earthen dam at one hog lagoon in Duplin County had breached, spilling its contents.
Another 25 of the pits containing animal feces and urine have either suffered structural damage, had wastewater levels go over their tops from heavy rains or had been swamped by floodwaters. Large mounds of manure are also typically stored at poultry farms.
Even though the sun shown in parts of the state Tuesday, major flooding is continuing after Florence's passage and is expected to worsen in some areas. Sixteen North Carolina rivers were at major flood stage Tuesday with an additional three forecast to peak by Thursday.
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