Mia Patel
Mississippi's poultry industry has a significant impact on the state's economy, generating $23.5 billion and employing over 31,800 people directly. The state's poultry sector has a long history, dating back to the early 20th century when various poultry breeds gained popularity through shows and exhibitions. Over time, the industry evolved towards vertically integrated operations, where companies owned all aspects of production, including breeder flocks, hatcheries, and processing plants. While the exact number of chicken plants is challenging to pinpoint due to the presence of contract farmers, it is estimated that Mississippi has around 19 in-state processing facilities, with prominent companies like Peco Foods and Sanderson Farms contributing to the state's poultry production and processing capabilities.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of chicken processing plants in Mississippi | 19 |
| Number of chicken plants raided by ICE in 2019 | 7 |
| Number of Hispanic workers arrested in the 2019 ICE raids | 680 |
| Number of employees at Peco Foods Inc. | 5,941 |
| Number of employees at Sanderson Farms Inc. | 8,800+ |
| Number of employees in Mississippi's poultry industry | 31,800 |
| Number of additional jobs supported by the industry | 67,900 |
| Value of Mississippi's poultry industry | $3.8 billion |
| Value of Mississippi's poultry industry in 2021 | $2.6 billion |
| Value of Peco Foods sales in 2016 | $1.19 billion |
| Value of Sanderson Farms sales | $2.8 billion+ |
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What You'll Learn
Mississippi's poultry industry is worth $23.5 billion
Mississippi's poultry industry is a significant contributor to the state's economy, with a total impact of $23.5 billion. It is the state's largest agricultural industry, employing 31,800 people directly and supporting an additional 67,900 jobs. The industry has a long history in the state, dating back to the early 20th century when various poultry breeds gained popularity through shows and exhibitions.
The Mississippi Poultry Association (MPA), formed in 1937, promotes the health of the state's poultry flock and provides educational seminars for its members. The association also informs the public and government officials about the industry's value to the state. The MPA offers an organizational support system for producers, growers, and allied entities within the poultry industry.
The state's poultry industry began to mature in the late 1920s when commercial poultry operations started crossbreeding programs to enhance bird productivity. However, the most significant growth occurred in the late 1940s and early 1950s with the emergence of "vertically integrated operations." These are poultry companies that own their pullet and breeder flocks, hatcheries, feed mills, and processing plants. This business model offers advantages such as reduced costs, improved record-keeping, and better processing and marketing opportunities.
By the mid-1950s, integrated poultry companies started contracting with local farmers to produce eggs and broilers. This trend continues today, with companies providing technical assistance, advice, and resources such as chickens and feed. Mississippi is home to several prominent poultry companies, including Peco Foods, Sanderson Farms, and Mar-Jac Poultry. These companies have processing plants, hatcheries, and feed mills located throughout the state, contributing to the state's economic growth and employment.
The demand for chicken and eggs has driven the industry's success, with poultry being the most consumed meat in the United States. Mississippi's poultry industry faces challenges, such as managing diseases and high feed costs, but it remains a vital sector, providing jobs and supporting the state's economy.
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There are 19 in-state processing facilities
Poultry is Mississippi's largest agricultural industry, with a total impact of $23.5 billion on the state's economy. Mississippi's poultry industry has a direct employment of 31,800 people and supports an additional 67,900 jobs. The industry has grown to have a global impact, with a record value of $3.8 billion, an almost 50% increase from the previous record of $2.6 billion in 2021.
The state's poultry industry has a long history, dating back to the early 20th century when there was a great interest in various poultry breeds. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, the industry started to grow with the development of "vertically integrated operations," where poultry companies owned their own flocks, hatcheries, feed mills, and processing plants. This business model offered reduced costs, improved record-keeping, and better processing and marketing opportunities.
Today, Mississippi is home to several large poultry companies, including Peco Foods, Sanderson Farms, and Mar-Jac Poultry. Peco Foods, the 10th-largest poultry company in the US, has operations in Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi, with six slaughter/processing plants, one further processing plant, and two cooking plants. Sanderson Farms, the third-largest poultry company in the US, also has operations in Mississippi and other states, producing 10.63 million chickens per week in 2016. Mar-Jac Poultry employs 1,700 people and includes two slaughter/processing plants, two further processing plants, two hatcheries, and two feed mills.
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Poultry is Mississippi's largest agricultural industry
Mississippi's poultry industry has a long history, dating back to the early 20th century when there was great interest in various poultry breeds. Shows and exhibitions were quite popular, and birds were bred to produce pure breeds that would place highly in these shows. During the late 1920s, commercial poultry operations began crossbreeding programs to improve bird productivity. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the industry began to grow significantly as poultry companies began purchasing their own breeder flocks, hatcheries, feed mills, grow-out operations, and processing plants, creating "vertically integrated operations". This business model offered several advantages, including reduced costs, improved record-keeping, and better processing and marketing opportunities.
Today, Mississippi is home to several large poultry companies, including Peco Foods, Sanderson Farms, and Mar-Jac Poultry. Peco Foods, which expanded into Mississippi in 1989, is now the 10th-largest poultry company in the United States, with operations in Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi. In 2016, the company had sales of $1.19 billion and employed 5,941 people across its six slaughter/processing plants, two cooking plants, and six hatcheries. Sanderson Farms, a publicly held, vertically integrated poultry company, has operations in Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Georgia, and North Carolina. In 2016, the company ranked as the third-largest poultry producer in the country, with a weekly production of 10.63 million chickens and sales of over $2.8 billion. Mar-Jac Poultry LLC, which employs 1,700 people, operates two slaughter/processing plants, two hatcheries, and two feed mills.
Mississippi's poultry industry faces challenges, including disease and high feed costs, which can impact egg production and drive up prices. Despite these challenges, the industry remains strong and is an important contributor to the state's economy.
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Sanderson Farms is the third-largest poultry company in the US
Mississippi's poultry industry has a long history, with the early 20th century seeing a surge in interest in various poultry breeds. The industry began to mature in the late 1920s when commercial poultry operations started crossbreeding programs to enhance bird productivity. However, it wasn't until the 1940s and 1950s that the industry truly took off, with the emergence of ""vertically integrated operations,"" where poultry companies owned their entire supply chain. This model is still prevalent today and has contributed to the state's thriving poultry sector.
One of the key players in Mississippi's poultry industry is Sanderson Farms, a prominent name in the US poultry market. Founded in 1947 by D.R. Sanderson, Sr., the company has grown to become the third-largest poultry producer in the nation. With operations in Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Georgia, and North Carolina, Sanderson Farms has a vast reach. The company's commitment to sustainability and animal welfare is evident through its membership in organizations like the US-Roundtable for Sustainable Poultry & Eggs and the International Poultry Welfare Alliance.
Sanderson Farms' scale of operations is impressive, with a weekly production of 10.63 million chickens in 2016, generating sales of over $2.8 billion. The company's workforce is equally substantial, employing more than 8,800 people and contracting with over 600 independent growers. In 2020, Sanderson Farms' financial performance continued to soar, processing more than 4.8 billion pounds of meat and generating over $3.5 billion in revenue.
In recent years, Sanderson Farms has undergone significant changes. In 2021, the company was acquired by global food corporation Cargill in a joint venture with Continental Grain Co. (ContiGroup). This merger with Wayne Farms led to the formation of Wayne-Sanderson Farms, further solidifying its position in the industry. As of 2023, the combined entity, Wayne-Sanderson Farms, employs over 26,000 team members and works with over 2,000 family farmers to deliver high-quality, affordable poultry products worldwide.
Sanderson Farms' presence in Mississippi is notable, with operations in multiple cities and a strong commitment to giving back to the community. The company's charitable initiatives, such as the Sanderson Farms Championship, have had a positive impact on local charities, with donations totaling $1,750,000 in recent years. The company's dedication to sustainability and animal welfare, combined with its significant economic impact, makes Sanderson Farms a pivotal contributor to Mississippi's poultry industry and the state's economy as a whole.
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Chicken plants have been subject to ICE raids
Mississippi's poultry industry has been a significant contributor to the state's economy, with sales in the billions. The industry employs over 28,000 people across the state, with large companies like Peco Foods, Sanderson Farms, Mar-Jac Poultry, and Koch Foods running multiple processing plants.
However, in recent years, these chicken plants have been at the centre of ICE raids, with immigration officials targeting undocumented workers. In August 2019 and again in January 2020, ICE agents raided several chicken processing plants across Central Mississippi, detaining and arresting hundreds of Indigenous, Latino, and immigrant workers. These raids were among the largest single-state stings in American history, with 680 people arrested in 2020 and a similar number in 2019.
The raids were conducted by ICE, with agents executing federal search warrants and seizing business records. The targeted plants were suspected of "willfully and unlawfully employing" undocumented workers, and the raids resulted in workers being detained, separated from their families, and deported. In the aftermath of the raids, ICE referred dozens of workers for criminal charges, including using false identity documents and unlawful reentry into the United States.
The impact of these raids extended beyond the arrested individuals. Children of the arrested workers were left in the care of neighbours and strangers, and the raids also had the potential to affect Mississippi's poultry industry. Additionally, advocates suggested that the raids may have been a form of retaliation, as some of the targeted plants had a history of labour unrest and lawsuits related to sexual harassment and racial discrimination.
In 2021, the Biden Administration attempted to address the harms caused by these ICE raids. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ended the use of worksite enforcement actions and acknowledged that raids had been used to suppress and retaliate against workers' rights. Despite this policy change, workers in Mississippi continue to face challenges and seek repairs for the ongoing harms caused by the raids.
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Frequently asked questions
Mississippi has 19 in-state chicken processing facilities.
Some of the chicken plants in Mississippi include Sanderson Farms, Mar-Jac Poultry, Peco Foods, PH Food, and Koch Foods.
680 Hispanic workers were arrested during the raids, with more than one-third of the arrests taking place at the Koch plant in Morton.
Poultry is Mississippi's largest agricultural industry, with a total impact of $23.5 billion on the state's economy and creating over 99,000 jobs.
