Stormy picture could be worse
October 7, 2016
If you’re in the U.S. hog industry, you know there have been better times to be raising pigs and producing pork.
Current hog prices have producers with memories thinking back to 1998, and disease pressures are always in the back of producers’ minds. One flare-up could doom expected increasing production numbers. Though the current overall climate is casting a dark cloud over the entire swine industry, keep in mind the cloud could be even darker.
Residents and hog producers in the southeastern U.S. are preparing for effects of Hurricane Matthew as it drives north up the Atlantic coast. According to the Weather Channel, “Hurricane Matthew’s eyewall continues to brush parts of Florida’s northeast coast with high winds and storm surge flooding, and will spread those impacts, in addition to potentially serious rainfall flooding into Georgia, South Carolina and southern North Carolina through at least Saturday night.”
Matthew’s impending arrival has North Carolina pork producers taking precautions in preparation of the potential heavy rains and strong winds. According to the Sampson Independent, this isn’t farmers’ first go-around with a hurricane. North Carolina Pork Council Chief Executive Officer, Deborah Johnson, told the Sampson Independent, “Our farmers have faced several strong hurricanes in the past. They know what to expect and understand the importance of being prepared ahead of time. Farmers are putting emergency action plans into effect to protect their employees, their animals and farms.”
Though the exact path that Matthew will take remains to be seen, producers are taking action to deal with potential issues.