Tyson Indiana plant hog kill to resume late this week or early next

Hog-slaughtering operations at the Tyson Fresh Meats pork plant in Logansport, Indiana, are expected to resume either late this week or early next week, the company said.

A fire occurred at the plant on Friday (Mar 5), shutting down slaughtering operations. The roof and some pieces of equipment were damaged.

The plant can process around 15,000 head of hogs per day in the two-shift slaughter operation, according to industry analysts.

The plant resumed pork processing in other areas of the facility on Saturday (Mar 6) after receiving approval from the USDA, said Gary Mickelson, director of media relations for Tyson Foods Inc. Some processing operations are expected to continue through the week. Slaughter production remains suspended.

Mickelson said the plant's roof has been repaired, equipment is being replaced, and electrical rewiring is being done. Some hogs that would have normally been shipped to Logansport are now being diverted to other Tyson plants in eastern Iowa, he said.

The USDA downwardly revised Friday's US hog slaughter estimate to 412,000 head and reported Monday's figure at 414,000 head. Slaughters the other workdays last week averaged 429,500 head.