The plant’s electric supplier said Smithfield Foods Inc. hopes to reopen its Tar Heel, North Carolina facility on Thursday. The plant is the largest hog processing facility in the world. This will hinge entirely on whether or not employees can make it into work safely. It will also depend on whether or not farmers can deliver hogs as well. Hurricane-related disruptions are still causing problems in the pork industry. Through Tuesday of this week, hog slaughter is 101,000 head behind last week’s numbers. Kill numbers are also 52,000 behind last year. Buying interest outside of corrective trade in the industry probably won’t pick up until the supply backlog is worked through.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.