Marshalltown Times Republican, IA
12-15-06
Hog producers express concern about local effects of Swift raid
By MIKE DONAHEY
A public acknowledgement by Swift & Company that the loss of 90 workers
arrested here Tuesday is expected to make production levels below normal in the
short term has area pork producers concerned.
The 90 workers were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers
for immigration charges as part of a nationwide raid at all 6 Swift & Company
locations.
“Yes, it could hurt me,” said Tom Mead, a Marshalltown area pork producer who
spoke about the issue a day after the ICE action at Swift’s.
“It is going to be a slower process for them and it will take awhile for them to get
to 100 percent.”
John Soorholtz, former hog producer and president of the National Pork
Producers and Iowa Pork Producers, said producers with contracts to deliver
hogs could be impacted. Soorholtz identified disruption in scheduled deliveries,
and a delay in bringing in other pigs to raise for slaughter as factors that could
potentially harm farmers. “These holdovers and delays would result in increased
costs to producers in added feed and other costs,” Soorholtz said.
The slowdown in production could also impact independents that sell to Swift.
“Anytime you have less labor at a facility means you have less kill capacity,” said
John Mabry of the Iowa Pork Industry Council.
Mabry said that Swift taking less hogs means fewer sales for producers.
“When you add this problem with the higher cost of corn now, it will hurt some
independents, and they will have less money to spend in the rural economies,”
he added.
However, according to Lee Huntrods, regional manager for Farm Bureau, whose
territory includes Marshall and Tama counties, peak production for 2006 for Swift
to produce pork products may have passed, and the impact on area producers
would be lessened.
“Thanksgiving has passed and I would expect that Swift may have had enough
pork already in their pipeline to meet customer demands for the holiday season,”
Huntrods said. “Had this happened two or three weeks ago, it could have
potentially been much more serious.”
While the peak production may have passed, Huntrods acknowledged the
reduction in production levels at Swift will reduce the need for pork and lower the
price, impacting independent producers.
Terry Steinhart, Iowa State University swine specialist advised area pork
producers to communicate with Swift and discuss their options.
“Large facilities that have a pigs in, pigs out system, and rely on taking their pigs
to market will have seven to 10 days to wait and see what happens, Steinhart
said. “Time will be a critical factor.”
Calls made to Swift’s livestock buyers in Marshalltown for information about the
company’s plans to purchase hogs were referred to corporate headquarters in
Greeley, Colo. Corporate officials had not yet returned telephone calls or e-mail
requests for information as of press time.