HAMMOND, LA. — As Hurricane Francine made landfall on the Louisiana coast, Wayne-Sanderson Farms continued to provide updates on its Facebook page on the status of its operations on Sept. 12.

The company stated the Hammond, La., plant would not operate the first shift on Sept. 12, with employees working on the second shift, and maintenance and sanitation needing to report to work as normally scheduled. 

“Please stay safe and tuned to your local news stations for further weather-related updates,” the poultry producer said.

Wayne Sanderson provided instructions on four other plants that could be affected by the storm’s path. 

In McComb, Miss., plant employees on the first shift on Sept. 12 were told to report to work at 8 a.m., and first shift third processing should report to work at 8:30 a.m. First shift specialty should report to work at 10:00 a.m. and first shift debone should report to work at 10:30 a.m. The company told first shift maintenance workers to contact supervisors for the work schedule.

Employees working on the second and third shifts should report to work as normally scheduled.

At the Collins, Miss., facility, the first shift would not be operated on Sept. 12. Employees on the second shift are expected to work as normally scheduled. The Collins plant will operate all shifts on Sept. 14.

The company’s prepared foods plant in Flowood, Miss., canceled its first shift on Sept. 12, but employees working the second shift are to report to work as normally scheduled.

Finally, employees working at the Hazlehurst, Miss., facility were expected to work on the first shift in first processing at 7 a.m., and employees working on first shift in second processing should report to work at 9:15 a.m. Employees working on the second and third shifts should report to work as normally scheduled. 

The National Weather Service categorized Hurricane Francine as a Category 2 storm with 4-9 inches of rain falling in southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 11. On the morning of Sept. 12, the storm weakened to a tropical depression over south-central Mississippi. The agency still expects heavy rainfall across Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida panhandle.

Any operations updates are expected to be announced on Wayne-Sanderson’s social media accounts.