Farm Progress America, October 29, 2024

Pure Prairie filed bankruptcy Sept. 30. Then on Oct. 2, the Charles City processing plant closed and producers were left with no feed for millions of birds.

Existing laws in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin mean each state handles the situation differently.

Iowa obtained a court order to assume care of 1.3 M birds across 13 farms.

The state secured a buyer for the birds. However, lien legalities stopped the deal from happening.

So the Iowa Sec. of Ag had no choice and-- the court authorized depopulation of the barns.

In Wisconsin, many farmers gave birds away to avoid starvation and the birds traveled as far as Illinois Michigan. State officials lacked official control of the situation there.

And Minnesota took a proactive approach to the situation. Over 300,000 birds were either processed sold or depopulated.

The financial ramification for farmers and tax payers is not yet over.

Farm Progress America is a daily look at key issues in agriculture. It is produced and presented by Mike Pearson, farm broadcaster and host of This Week in Agribusiness .