Hurricane Michael was responsible for the loss of at least 84 poultry houses and 2 million birds in Georgia, according to the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
In a press release on the state agriculture department’s website, those losses were estimated based off of reports it had received as of October 11. The agency further stated that the poultry sector had suffered greater hurricane-related losses and power outages than any other agricultural industry.
"Michael's impact has been the most widespread and devasting hurricane in recollection to impact Georgia's agriculture industry," said Agriculture Commissioner Gary W. Black. "Crops, animals and infrastructure have all taken a substantial loss.”
Also harshly affected were dairies and processing plants, the department stated.
Georgia counties with operations hurt by the hurricane included Appling, Colquitt, Coffee, Decatur, Evans, Houston, Mitchell, Randolph, Lee and Wilcox Counties.
The storm also caused poultry industry losses in Alabama, but that state’s agriculture agency has not yet made public the number of barns or birds that have been lost.
Hurricane Michael prompted poultry companies including Tyson Foods, Sanderson Farms and Wayne Farms to temporarily suspend operations at certain plants.
Tyson idled its poultry processing facility in Vienna, Georgia and distribution center in Macon, Georgia. Wayne Farms suspended operations at its poultry plants in Dothan and Union Springs, Alabama. Sanderson Farms, which also suffered losses due to Hurricane Florence, temporarily closed its poultry plant in Moultrie, Georgia. All of those facilities have since resumed production, with only minor damages reported.
While some Tyson Foods operations were hindered by the storm, the company still provided assistance to others affected by Hurricane Michael. Through its Meals that Matter disaster relief program, the company deployed its 53-foot mobile kitchen, cook teams and set up feeding centers in Georgia. Tyson Foods cook teams were preparing and providing free meals on-site as well as distributing them throughout the community. Approximately 250,000 pounds of Tyson product were allocated to serve the communities.