Winter blizzard conditions moving across the
Central Plains and Upper Midwest caught meat processing plants in their path,
forcing plant closures on Monday for the safety of their workers.
On Monday morning the heaviest of the snow
spanned across much of Nebraska, extending toward southern Minnesota at a rate
approaching 1 inch per hour. From there the storm moved north and east to the
upper Midwest, including Sioux Falls, S. D., Sioux City, Iowa, and Minneapolis.
Seaboard Triumph closed its pork production
plant in Sioux City, spokesman David Earheart confirmed to Meatingplace. “Our number one priority is keeping plant employees and
all of the truck drivers hauling livestock and products safe. No other plants
were impacted by the weather,” he explained in an email.
Cargill closed its Schuyler, Neb., beef
processing plant and its Columbus, Neb., cooked meats plant on Monday, Cargill
spokesman Mike Martin told Meatingplace, “due to
hazardous road conditions that risk the safety of our employees, cattle haulers
and truck drivers that transport finished goods.” He said both facilities are
planning to make up lost production on Saturday.
Tyson closed four plants due to weather.
“For the safety of our team members, we have
suspended operations today at four of our fresh meats plants,” Tyson Foods
spokesman Worth Sparkman confirmed to Meatingplace on Monday. “We hope to resume normal operations soon and
are working to fulfill customer orders through other locations.”
Sparkman declined to specify where the plants
were located, though the Sioux City Journal reported Tyson Fresh Meats plants in in Dakota City,
Neb., and Storm Lake, Iowa, were closed Monday.
Hormel Foods spokesman Rick Williamson
told Meatingplace, "We did have reduced shifts at a couple locations,
however the majority of our plants had normal operations all day." The
comany ran a day shift only at its plant in Freemont, Neb. Hormel supplier
Quality Pork Processors also only ran a day shift on Monday.