Despite efforts to keep cows cool during last month’s Valley heat wave the dairy industry still suffered big losses. Close to 10,000 animals died during the hot spell. So many the Baker Commodities Rendering Plant in Kerman was overwhelmed. It could not take on any more cows due to a large number of carcasses and mechanical issues. “The capacity of the plant is
about a million pounds a day, and due to the heat losses because to the night time temperatures, incoming to the plant increased about a million and a half pounds,” said Les Wright, AG Commissioner. In a special meeting, Fresno County Supervisors voted to extend a local emergency which was declared on June 30th. The decision allows dairy operators to compost or bury carcasses on the farm until Baker Commodities can catch up to the recent spike in cow deaths. READ MORE
