2 million chickens will be killed in Delaware and Maryland because of lack of employees at processing plants

(CNN)Two million chickens on several farms in Delaware and Maryland will be "depopulated" -- meaning humanely killed -- due to a lack of employees at chicken processing plants, according to a statement from Delmarva Poultry Industry Inc.

The reduced employee attendance at the company's plants is a result of "additional community cases of COVID-19, additional testing, and people practicing the 'stay home if you're sick' social distancing guidance from public health officials," the statement reads.
The chickens will be depopulated "using approved, humane methods" that are accepted by the American Veterinary Medical Association and all state and local guidelines, the company said.
CNN has reached out to the Delaware Department of Agriculture but has not yet received a response.
The Maryland Department of Agriculture says it learned of the company's plans on April 9 and "continues to monitor for any developments."
"MDA is only involved in depopulations when it is done in response to animal health concerns," the department said in a statement. "This particular case was a private decision made by an individual business."
Delmarva says it made the "difficult but necessary" decision after exhausting "the study of other alternatives, including allowing another chicken company to transport and process the chickens and taking a partially processed product to rendering facilities to utilize for other animal feed."
"If no action were taken, the birds would outgrow the capacity of the chicken house to hold them," the company said, adding that they are not closing any processing plants and will continue to compensate the affected chicken growers.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/25/us/chickens-depopulated-delmarva-plants-delaware-maryland/index.html

Lol, so 2 million chickens will be killed because there’s no one there to kill them?

Sounds like another batch in the incubator.

Kind of not make sense, doesn’t it? Maybe PETA will adopt them.

Government keeps talking about the food system being secure, but there are many stories in agriculture with similar effects as this one. It would be like a government official telling you there is nothing to be concerned about, with a barn in the background burning to the ground.

While 2 million sounds like a lot, in the poultry industry it's a drop in the bucket. The pilgrams pride plant in Moorefield WV processes 2.2 million birds a week on avg. The chicken industry also has pretty specific market weights and a bird that is just a few ounces off won't fit the order. That's why you get the same size chicken sandwich Everytime you go to Chick-fil-A. So if the birds are to big they are probably just as well off to turn them into dog food as to try and market a product there is no market for. Media has the ability to turn something that happens on a regular basis into a crisis. Would really like the specifics on the situation before jumping to any conclusions.

Our large local chicken processing plant had closed for three weeks or so and they had truckloads of chickens they were giving away. Loads that had arrived right before they shut down.

They opened back up this past Monday.

My nephew told me he was buy some meat to put in the freezer , said burger went from $3.60 a pound to $5.00 in my area. What I 'm reading and hearing it's not going to get any better.

All these huge meat growing operations are just one step away from growing meat in a laboratory.
I think I'll go hunting.

It's not just a chicken plant shutting down, it's plants for all animals all over the country closing down.

I agree factory farms are deplorable so I raise my own chickens for both meat and eggs. You can have both on your terms and conditions. Or neither if you so choose.

I will be adding beef as soon as I get new fence and run some water lines. If you ever make it out of Canadian swing by I will supply the drinks.

They kill the chickens with an expanding foam that suffocates them in an approved manner. In a big chicken house if the fans are disabled, the chickens die in about 8 minutes. Peta was doing just that for a few years.

Keith

I just got a email from a buddy and Case Farms is selling boxes of chicken on the cheap at the fairgrounds. Those that have a freezer or canning equipment can get a great deal!

Now I understand were they got the 2 million deaths because of Covid-19. They were talking about chickens instead of people.

No where to sell it. There are people working the processing plants. They are having 2 for 1 sales and donating to churches truck loads at a time.

My BIL just spent two weeks installing plexiglass in between the line.

Again CNN doesn’t disappoint.

Catching fish and shooting deer. Who needs chicken?

Direct retail sales in bulk (40 lb. cases) has been going on in NC for at least 3 weeks and by multiple companies. Companies who supplied primarily commercial accounts and institutions like schools and universities had product in the pipeline that they needed to move. So they started selling chicken by the case out of refrigerated tractor trailer trucks at various locations for very reasonable prices. 40 lbs boneless/skinless breast for $45, boneless/skinless thighs for $35, drumsticks for $15.

They are able to keep their farmers operating, their processing plants working and are getting the product to consumers at reasonable price with minimal change to their process and packaging methods. Considering the alternative, it seems to be a win win situation.

I got in line and bought chicken for 6 different households a couple of weeks ago.

Yes sir. I take my hat off to those companies that are offering to the public, great prices too. I realize some of these companies are huge but they should make an effort to pass goods onto the consumer and make way for the farmers as well. Digging a hole and burying is just selfish.

Selfish? The company killing those chickens is in dire straits, survival not selfish.

BS Hobbie, they could offer. I realize they are on hard times like the rest of us, but why don't they offer? Why don't they put it out there that they are gonna kill these critters because they are up against the wall, so come and get what you want before we do it. I'll tell ya why, the more people that have secured their meat is the less sales they will make in the future. A spade is a spade.