{"id":3486,"date":"2026-04-20T12:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T12:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/agroinformacion.com\/en\/?p=3486"},"modified":"2026-04-20T05:56:49","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T05:56:49","slug":"perdue-cofield-mill-demolition-begins-april-20-as-engineers-rule-out-repairs-after-february-explosion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/agroinformacion.com\/en\/general\/perdue-cofield-mill-demolition-begins-april-20-as-engineers-rule-out-repairs-after-february-explosion\/","title":{"rendered":"Perdue Cofield mill demolition begins April 20 as engineers rule out repairs after February explosion"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Perdue Cofield mill demolition is scheduled to begin April 20, 2026, after engineers and independent experts determined the facility cannot be safely repaired. Perdue Farms announced the decision on April 15. The eight-story feed mill in Cofield, North Carolina was severely damaged in an explosion on February 21 at approximately 2:15 a.m. One worker died in the blast. Three others were injured. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation by the company, the North Carolina Department of Labor, and local, state, and federal authorities.<\/p>\n

Perdue has engaged specialized contractors to carry out the demolition in a controlled, step-by-step process. Work will run Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. If inclement weather interrupts the schedule, crews may work on Sundays to maintain the 12-week timeline. The first phase will use a large crane to remove the highest sections of the structure. High-pressure water cannons will minimize dust during that phase. Heavy excavators will then bring the rest of the structure to ground level.<\/p>\n

Perdue Cofield mill demolition timeline and worker impact<\/h2>\n

Perdue filed Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification notices with the state prior to the announcement. The notices indicate that 15 feed mill employees will be terminated on April 19. An additional 59 associates are affected by the temporary closure of the grain receiving and oilseed crush facility. Those five transportation employees who were assigned alternate routes during the closure will return once the site is deemed safe. The grain receiving and crush operations were not damaged in the February explosion. They remain closed because of their proximity to the feed mill. Perdue says it hopes to reopen those operations by August 10.<\/p>\n

Intermittent rubble fires have continued beneath the debris since the explosion. The company said those fires will be extinguished once demolition removes the underlying source. Safety and environmental professionals will monitor conditions throughout the 12-week process. Crews will implement dust control, noise mitigation, and traffic management measures for the surrounding Cofield community. Chris Pickens, Head of Engineering at Perdue Farms<\/a>, sent a letter to Cofield residents on April 14 explaining what to expect during demolition. For the wider context of what this closure means for the poultry supply chain in the region, Agroinformacion has been tracking supply chain disruptions affecting U.S. protein production in 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Perdue plans to build a new feed mill but has not announced a location<\/h2>\n

Perdue Farms has confirmed it plans to build a replacement feed mill. The company has not yet determined where the new facility will be located. In the meantime, Perdue says it has alternate arrangements in place to ensure that growers previously served by the Cofield mill continue to receive feed. The company said it has also been working to find employment opportunities within its other operations for the workers displaced by the demolition.<\/p>\n

Andrea Staub, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications at Perdue Farms, issued the official statement on April 15 confirming the demolition decision and the company’s commitment to worker safety and community communication. The original report was published by Feedstuffs on April 15, 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Perdue Farms announced on April 15, 2026 that its Cofield, North Carolina feed mill cannot be safely repaired following the February 21 explosion that killed one worker and injured three others, with demolition of the eight-story structure scheduled to begin April 20 and expected to take up to 12 weeks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3495,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,25],"tags":[1208,1204,1205,1206,1207,1202,1203,1210,1209],"class_list":["post-3486","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","category-livestockanimalhealth","tag-andrea-staub","tag-cofield-north-carolina-feed-mill","tag-february-2026-explosion","tag-feed-mill-workers","tag-grain-receiving-closure","tag-perdue-cofield-mill-demolition","tag-perdue-farms-explosion","tag-poultry-supply-chain","tag-warn-notice","resize-featured-image"],"yoast_head":"\nPerdue Cofield mill demolition starts April 20 after fatal explosion<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Perdue Cofield mill demolition begins April 20 after engineers ruled repairs impossible. 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