Meat packagingMassive winter storms bringing blizzard-like conditions to much of the Central U.S. have led Tyson Foods and Cargill to idle certain beef plants. The companies announced Tuesday the suspension of beef plants in Kansas due to conditions that left meatpacking workers stranded on highways.

Plant disruptions stymied production at a time when prices remained high after U.S. ranchers reduced herd numbers. Meatpackers processed an estimated 94,000 cattle on Tuesday, down a whopping 25% from the week prior, according to USDA. Cargill says their Dodge City, Kansas plant will re-open once power returns and conditions are safe. Approximately 50 Cargill employees slept overnight at the plant, while the majority of the remaining 2,800 employees “made it home”.

Read more on weather-related beef plant closures here.