The Delaware’s poultry industry is fighting high grain prices and lagging sales with federal figures finding that production in the state fell last year by 7.3 percent.
In addition, state and industry officials note that Delaware was also hit by the bankruptcy of Allen Family Foods.
The company was taken over by the South Korea-based Harim and has revived production.
The Salisbury Daily Times reports that Delaware farms have seen production drop from a record high of 282 million birds 7 years ago to 217 million birds last year.
The First State now ranks 12th in chicken production nationally down from 11th last year.
Meanwhile, Maryland’s broiler output rose by 3.5 percent jumping to 311 million birds.
