Arkansas’s poultry industry soars in 2023 despite avian flu

Sidney, Arkansas – In 2023, Arkansas’s poultry farmers had one of their best years yet.

Talk Business and Politics, a content partner, claims that prices decreased everywhere in 2023.

Poultry agriculture is well-known in counties such as Sharp County in Northeast Arkansas.

Twenty broiler buildings, each housing about 30,000 hens, are owned by farmer Colton Asberry.

He claimed that while his business has expanded over the past few years, expenses have also gone up.

“We’re making more money than 4-5 years ago, but input costs have risen,” Asberry explained.

Asberry said that a little improvement in his profits was made possible by a decrease in some of those input expenses from the previous year.

“The propane is probably the biggest factor. Last year it was about $.50 a gallon higher than it was this year when we contracted, so that helped us some, but through the winter months, that’s the highest cost,” Asberry stated.

Asberry clarified that he doesn’t think the expansion is finished.

“I think there is always room for growth. Population needs to keep increasing to put food on the table,” Asberry said.

Some claim that the avian influenza that is affecting some areas of the state explains the unexpected rise in the poultry sector.