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Pilgrim’s Pride offers award for arrest in vandalism

Poultry producer Pilgrim’s Pride is offering an award of up to $50,000 for information leading the the arrest and conviction of the person or persons involved in vandalism against family farmers in South Carolina.

Several deliberate acts of vandalism at Pilgrim Pride contract grower facilities have resulted in deaths of over 300,000 chickens that were under the care of family farmers.  The chickens killed in the past two weeks are valued at over $1.5 million.

Vandals adjusted temperature levels in chicken houses, killing both young and older birds.

Mickey Baugher, Complex Manager for Pilgrim’s Sumter (South Carolina) says he’s unsure why the company’s grower partners have been targeted and says they are working with authorities to help resolve the situation.

The family farms are under contract to grow chickens on behalf of Pilgrim’s and deliver birds to the company’s prepared foods facility in Sumter, South Carolina.