001267 Snow Force Texas Beef Plants to Cut Production

Chicago - Operations at two Texas Panhandle beef processing plants were disrupted on Wednesday because snow and ice prevented workers and cattle from reaching the plants.

Eight to 20 inches of snow fell across the Texas Panhandle and some areas also had ice and freezing rain.

IBP Inc.'s beef plant in Amarillo canceled its first production shift on Wednesday and ConAgra Foods Inc.'s. beef plant in Dumas started two hours late, company officials.

“We did not have a first-shift operation but we are hoping for a second shift,” said Gary Mickelson, spokesman for IBP, referring to the company's Amarillo plant.

“There was just a two-hour delay on the start up of operations, but they are operating and they do intend to operate the afternoon shift,” said a ConAgra spokeswoman of the Dumas plant.

Daily cattle slaughter figures were not available from company sources, but cattle industry sources estimated the IBP plant's daily slaughter at 5,400 head and ConAgra's at 4,500.

Industry sources also said the snow and ice affected operations at Excel Corp.'s beef plant in Plainview. An Excel spokesman was checking on the status of the Plainview plant, which industry sources say has a daily capacity of about 4,000 head.

Excel's Friona plant apparently was not affected, they said. Excel is a unit of privately held Cargill Inc.

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