Oklahoma wildfires kill thousands of pigs at Smithfield, Seaboard farms (updated)

Seaboard

10/03/2017 23:44

(Adds details on Seaboard, comments by Oklahoma officials, U.S. 
senator, company representatives, other background) 
    By Michael Hirtzer and Renita D. Young 
    March 10 (Reuters) - Wildfires devastated a Smithfield Foods 
Inc  SFII.UL  hog farm in Laverne, Oklahoma, killing at least 
several thousand pigs, company and local officials said on 
Friday. 
    The exact number of swine killed in the Oklahoma fire, which 
began on Monday, was not immediately known. Smithfield did not 
say how many died in the blaze, but said no workers were harmed. 
    The Smithfield farm housed about 45,000 sows, according to 
the company's website. 
    Luke Kanclerz, spokesman for the Oklahoma Forestry Services, 
said on Friday that several thousand hogs "were lost." 
    "Such a large area was impacted by these fires, it's taking 
time to collect information," he said. "There are no accurate 
numbers yet."  
    Kanclerz said state officials were at the Smithfield farm on 
Friday, collecting information on how many animals had died and 
other data. 
    "While we are deeply thankful that no employees were harmed 
in the fire, we lament the unnecessary loss of animals and the 
devastation to the surrounding community," Smithfield 
spokeswoman Kathleen Kirkham said. 
    Smithfield is the world's largest pork producer, raising 
about 16 million hogs per year. It is owned by Chinese-based WH  
Group Ltd.  0288.HK   
    Wildfires also killed about 1,900 hogs at two of Seaboard 
Foods'  SEB.A  farms south of Perryton, Texas, company spokesman 
David Eaheart said. 
    About 1.2 million acres burned within 24 hours on Monday in 
the Texas Panhandle, northwestern Oklahoma and adjacent parts of 
southwestern Kansas, said National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration meteorologist Patrick Marsh. Smaller fires also 
burned in Colorado, Nebraska, and part of the Florida 
Everglades, he said. 
    Firefighters on Friday were still working to contain the 
blazes that killed at least six people.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N1GM1SG 
    Officials with Clark County, Kansas, estimated as many as 
9,000 head of cattle are dead, according to a statement from 
U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, a Kansas Republican. 
    As crews dispose of animal carcasses, Oklahoma State 
Veterinarian Rod Hall said the economic impact to farmers could 
be compounded by a psychological blow. In Gray County, Texas, a 
woman and two men died on Monday, after they tried to move their 
cattle out of the fire's path.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N1GK1FY 
    "This is the way these people were making a living and they 
take their livestock seriously," Hall said. 
 
 (Reporting by Michael Hirtzer and Renita D. Young in Chicago; 
Writing by P.J. Huffstutter; Editing by Tom Brown and Matthew 
Lewis) 
 ((michael.hirtzer@thomsonreuters.com)(+1 312 408 8566)(Reuters 
Messaging: michael.hirtzer.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net, 
Twitter: @mhirtz)) 
 
Keywords: USA WILDFIRES/SMITHFIELD