On the morning of the Tuesday raids, J.R. Simplot Livestock Co. in Idaho had eight trucks of cattle ready to be unloaded at the plant. Instead, the cattle had to be taken to a nearby feedlot where the company paid to have them watered and fed.
Company President Tom Basabe said he hasn't gotten a bill yet, "but in this business, no costs are minor. And until the Hyrum plant gets back to normal operating capacity, we're not back to normal, either."
"I wouldn't call this a ripple; it's more like a tsunami," he said.
John Ferry, a rancher and feedlot operator in Brigham City, said if the plant cannot take his 80 cattle on his weekly Friday allotment time, he'll have to tell ranchers to postpone shipping him more. They in turn, will receive less money for the cattle "because when they're ready to go to market, they're ready to go."
On Wednesday Swift officials said the six plants have reopened but at reduced production levels. Swift also said any loss of a significant number of employees could adversely affect operations until lost employees are replaced.
The six plants represent all of Swift's domestic beef and 77 percent of its pork processing capabilities. Swift is the nation's third top meat processor, with $9 billion in annual sales.
In south-central Utah, Bradley Johnson also felt the impact of the raid, even though he sent no cattle from his feedlot to the northern Utah plant.
"The futures are down," said Johnson, "and that aversely affects the price of all cattle."
Darin Parker of Parker International, a Utah company that trades specialty meats and other food items, said if processors, farmers and feedlot operators lose significant amounts of money, consumers will be paying higher prices.
"If the products aren't getting to consumers in a timely manner," he said, "the law of supply and demand says we'll be paying more."
No charges had been filed against Swift in the investigation of immigrants in this country illegally obtaining Social Security numbers of U.S. citizens to gain employment. Swift CEO and President Sam Rovit said his firm did not knowingly hire undocumented workers.
