The euthanization of thousands of chickens after the sudden closure of a poultry company prompted an Arkansas state senator to request intervention from the governor Friday.
Sen. Bryan King, R-Green Forest, sent a letter to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders expressing his concern over Cooks Venture’s closure and “possible euthanization of more than 1 million chickens.”
“This matter significantly affects poultry growers, involves serious animal welfare and disease concern, and creates environmental issues,” King wrote. “The impact of the volume of decaying birds to be disposed of is an economic nightmare, and it should not be the burden of growers.”
In addition to the environmental concerns, Dustin Maybee, a grower in Green Forest, is worried about the loss of income. Maybee said he’ll “probably lose the farm” he bought in June after signing a three-year contract with Cooks Venture.
Advertisement
Maybee said he received a letter Nov. 20 notifying him that Cooks Venture was experiencing financial difficulty and that if the company wasn’t sold, it would close between Nov. 20 and Nov. 30.
“If this happens, we are committed to winding down the company responsibly,” Executive Vice President Blake Evans wrote. “All outstanding fees for services already rendered will be paid as part of this process.”
The company didn’t respond to an email Friday requesting comment.
Maybee said he has not been paid and still has about 70,000 chickens that he was told the Arkansas Department of Agriculture will euthanize on Monday.
Initially, Cooks Venture said it would collect Maybee’s birds and ship them. Last Monday, the company notified Maybee his birds would be killed and he would be responsible for composting or burying the remains.
Advertisement
“They’re telling us that they don’t have no money to feed ‘em, catch ‘em, truck ‘em, process ‘em, anything,” Maybee said.
The thought of “420,000 pounds of rotten bird” on his farm prompted Maybee to make some calls, and he attended a meeting in Green Forest Thursday with King and Patrick Fisk, Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Division Director.
The Madison County Record reported about 50 former Cook Venture growers attended yesterday’s meeting where Fisk said he was responsible for deciding to kill the chickens. While there’s no statute behind the decision, Fisk said he acted in the best interest of the chickens, which faced starvation after the closure, according to the Madison County Record.
“What was disappointing to me out of the meeting, was that Mr. Fisk keeps saying, ‘Well I just kept trying to assist this company,’” King told the Advocate Friday. “Well, that’s not your role. Your role is to assist the people of Arkansas.”
The Department of Agriculture acknowledged receipt of an email on Friday requesting comment, but did not provide a response.
Advertisement
Let us know what you think…
Maybee said he received an email from Cooks Venture Thursday that it will dispose of the birds. However, he said they still haven’t removed the dead animals from other growers’ farms and some of those growers have started to compost themselves.
“I’ve stayed away from the farms that have, but they say you can smell it for miles,” he said.
Maybee said that between himself and two other growers, more than 200,000 additional birds will be euthanized.
“If you haven’t cleaned any other farms up yet, then how are you going to clean all that up in a day or two?” he said.
Advertisement
King said he’s been part of the chicken growing industry for three decades. King didn’t work for Cooks Venture and said he first learned about the state’s role in the situation when a grower contacted him Monday night.
“[The growers] don’t have the capabilities or the land or anything to have disposal methods to be able to take care of this,” King said.
In his letter to the governor, King pointed to former Gov. Asa Hutchinson allocating $20 million in 2019 to extinguish a stump dump fire in Bella Vista as precedent for declaring an emergency.
“We need to provide full compensation to the growers, feed suppliers, and any entity related to helping this situation,” King wrote. “The company is under financial duress, and at this time, the state needs to assume responsibility. It is my hope the state can recoup the cost at a later date.”
The governor’s office did not provide a response Friday.
A pair of 7-5 teams from the Sun Belt and MAC are set to square off at South Alabama’s Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama, on Dec. 26 as Arkansas State meets Bowling Green in the 2024 68 Ventures Bowl.
The game has existed since 1999 and gone by quite a few names, most recently the LendingTree Bowl, and this year’s iteration pits two teams that finished with winning records in conference play against each other.
Former Tennessee coach Butch Jones leads the Red Wolves in his fourth season, and they finished third in the Sun Belt West but suffered blowout losses to Louisiana and Texas State, which finished ahead of them.
The Falcons, led by sixth-year coach Scot Loeffler, finished tied for third in the MAC as they were predicted before the season. After a 2-4 start, Bowling Green strung five wins together in a row, a streak that ended in the final week of the regular season against Miami (Ohio).
Advertisement
A victory in the 68 Ventures Bowl would give Bowling Green its first bowl win since 2014 and the first under Loeffler. It would also mark his first eight-win season and the Falcons’ first since 2015. Jones is also looking for his first eight-win season at Arkansas State, a program that boasts four bowl wins since moving up to FBS in 1992 but none since 2019, before Jones took over.
We’ll see which coach can reach eight wins for the first time at their respective programs when Arkansas State and Bowling Green head to Mobile on Boxing Day.
Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.
Harold Fannin and the Bowling Green Falcons and the Arkansas State Red Wolves play in the 68 Ventures Bowl. The bowl matchup is December 26, 2024, starting at 9 p.m. ET, airing on ESPN.
Advertisement
Interested in watching the matchup featuring the Falcons and Red Wolves? You can find it on ESPN.
Keep up with college football all season on FOX Sports.
USMNT goal filled weekend: Weston McKennie, Malik Tillman, Johnny Cardoso & more! | SOTU
Alexi Lalas and David Mosse broke down the United States Men’s National Team’s goal-filled weekend, where Weston McKennie, Malik Tillman, Johnny Cardoso, and Brenden Aaronson scored for their respective clubs. The guys are excited, as the USMNT players continue to stack strong performances one after another in Europe.
Advertisement
Learn more about the Bowling Green Falcons and the Arkansas State Red Wolves.
How to Watch Bowling Green vs. Arkansas State
When: Thursday, December 26, 2024 at 9 p.m. ET
Location: Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama
Live Box Score: FOX Sports
Read More About This Game
Bowling Green vs. Arkansas State Predictions
Bowling Green’s 2024 Schedule
Date
Opponent
Score
8/29/2024
vs. Fordham
W 41-17
9/7/2024
at Penn State
L 34-27
9/21/2024
at Texas A&M
L 26-20
9/28/2024
vs. Old Dominion
L 30-27
10/5/2024
at Akron
W 27-20
10/12/2024
vs. Northern Illinois
L 17-7
10/19/2024
vs. Kent State
W 27-6
10/26/2024
at Toledo
W 41-26
11/5/2024
at Central Michigan
W 23-13
11/12/2024
vs. Western Michigan
W 31-13
11/23/2024
at Ball State
W 38-13
11/29/2024
vs. Miami (OH)
L 28-12
12/26/2024
vs. Arkansas State
–
Bowling Green 2024 Stats & Insights
Bowling Green ranks 87th in total offense (369.4 yards per game) and 32nd in total defense (331.1 yards allowed per game) this season.
Bowling Green ranks 70th in passing yards this year (224.6 per game), but has been thriving on the other side of the ball, ranking 20th-best in the FBS with 181.3 passing yards allowed per game.
The Falcons rank 73rd in points scored this season (26.8 points per game), but they’ve been shining on the defensive side of the ball, ranking 20th-best in the FBS with 20.3 points allowed per game.
The Falcons are totaling 144.8 rushing yards per game on offense this season (83rd in the FBS), and they are surrendering 149.8 rushing yards per game (73rd) on the other side of the ball.
Bowling Green ranks 91st in third-down conversion rate this season (37.5%), but has been playing really well on the defensive side of the ball, ranking 16th-best in the FBS with a 32.3% third-down conversion rate allowed.
The Falcons rank 47th in college football with a +3 turnover margin after forcing 13 turnovers (99th in the FBS) and committing 10 (15th in the FBS).
Arkansas State’s defense has been bottom-25 in total defense this season, allowing 460.7 total yards per game, which ranks sixth-worst. On the offensive side of the ball, it ranks 66th with 386.4 total yards per contest.
Arkansas State is putting up 227.1 passing yards per game on offense this season (67th-ranked). Meanwhile, it is allowing 234.4 passing yards per contest (96th-ranked) on defense.
The Red Wolves rank 93rd in points per game (24.8), but they’ve been less productive on the other side of the ball, ranking 23rd-worst in the FBS with 32.3 points allowed per contest.
The Red Wolves rank 73rd in rushing yards per game (159.3), but they’ve been less productive defensively, ranking fourth-worst in the FBS with 226.3 rushing yards surrendered per contest.
Arkansas State’s defense has been bottom-25 on third down this season, surrendering a 46.9% third-down conversion percentage, which ranks 12th-worst in the FBS. On offense, it ranks 71st with a 46.9% third-down rate.
The Red Wolves have recorded 19 forced turnovers (43rd in the FBS) and committed 17 turnovers (60th in the FBS) this season for a +2 turnover margin that ranks 54th in the FBS.
Pine Bluff native and Missouri transfer wide receiver Courtney Crutchfield signed with Arkansas on Wednesday.
The former four-star recruit announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal last Thursday and he officially entered last Friday. Crutchfield redshirted this season for the Tigers.
A 6-foot-2, 188-pound pass catcher, Crutchfield recorded 42 receptions for 930 yards and 13 touchdowns his senior season at Pine Bluff. He was committed to Arkansas for nearly seven months before eventually signing with Missouri.
Crutchfield will have four years of eligibility remaining. He was rated by Rivals as the No. 2 overall recruit and No. 1 wide receiver in the state of Arkansas in the 2024 recruiting class.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24924653/236780_Google_AntiTrust_Trial_Custom_Art_CVirginia__0003_1.png "Google’s counteroffer to the government trying to break it up is unbundling Android apps")
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25672934/Metaphor_Key_Art_Horizontal.png "There’s a reason Metaphor: ReFantanzio’s battle music sounds as cool as it does")
