LITTLE ROCK, ARK. — A state senator in Arkansas recently wrote a letter to Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders asking her to declare a state of emergency following the closure of Cooks Venture in late November.

Senator Bryan King, R-Green Forest, detailed the need to help the Arkansas poultry industry.

“I am writing to express my utmost concern regarding the closing of Cooks Venture and the resulting possible euthanization of more than 1 million chickens,” King wrote on Dec. 8. “This matter significantly affects poultry growers, involves serious animal welfare and disease concerns and creates environmental issues. The impact of the volume of decaying birds to be disposed of is an economic nightmare and it should not be the burden of the growers.”

King added that the state of Arkansas should provide full compensation to the growers, feed suppliers, and any entity related to helping this situation.

“The company is under financial duress, and at this time, the state needs to assume responsibility,” King stated. “It is my hope the state can recoup the cost at a later date.”

Along with serving in the state legislature, King owns Triple K Farms in Green Forest.

Arkansas Agriculture Secretary Wes Ward responded to King’s request for state assistance explaining why the state would not step in.

“Because the proper role of government does not include state assumption of private debts, your request has been respectfully declined,” Ward said in his letter. “Poultry farmers and poultry production are integral to our state’s success. Northern Arkansas chicken growers have long provided an affordable source of nutrition not only to their fellow Arkansans, but also to the nation and the world. This is precisely why staff from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, and I proactively worked over Thanksgiving to provide necessary assistance. However, your request that the government ‘provide full compensation’ to ‘any entity related [to the closing of Cooks Venture Inc.]’ goes beyond the scope of appropriate state action.”

In November, Cooks Venture announced that it stopped operations after it could not secure financing. The company was founded in 2019 by Matthew Wadia, a former chief operating officer of Blue Apron.

In August, Cooks Venture hired John Niemann as the new chief executive officer.

The company has yet to respond to requests for comments from MEAT+POULTRY.