A fire destroyed two layer houses at MPS Egg Farms’ facility Feather Crest Farms located in Kurton, Texas.
Multiple fire departments responded to the event, which started at approximately 5 PM on January 30th, 2024. The fire was not fully extinguished until five days later, on February 2nd, because it was too dangerous for firefighters to enter the buildings, along with limited access to water in the area, according to the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
In a statement sent to news station FOX 44 News, Feather Crest Farms’ CEO Sam Krouse said only one house had birds in it at the time of the fire, which were lost. No employees were harmed.
“We are thankful for the swift actions of our entire team and that they are all safe. We also deeply appreciate the first responders who reached the farm quickly and helped to prevent any further damage,” he said.
MPS Egg Farms is the 6th largest egg producer in the U.S., according to Egg Industry’s 2024 Top Egg Company Survey, part of WATT Global Media’s Top Poultry Companies database.
MPS expanding its portfolio
MPS Egg Farms has been working to grow its production in various ways over the last couple of years.
In December 2022, it partnered with Dutch egg company Kipster and grocery store chain Kroger to bring cardon-neutral eggs to the U.S. MPS is the first commercial egg producer in the U.S. to adopt and construct this type of production model, which includes open areas of outdoor and indoor access. The house can be viewed on a 24/7 livestream and consumers can visit the farm’s visitor center.
In February 2023, MPS announced the acquisition of Georgia-based egg producer Country Charm Eggs. The purchase expanded the producer’s flock by almost two million birds and put MPS in four states: Indiana, Illinois, Texas and Georgia.
