Sanderson Farms Reports No Damage from Hurricane Gustav

Sanderson Farms, Inc. (NASDAQ: SAFM) today announced that the Company’s Louisiana and Mississippi properties were not materially affected by Hurricane Gustav, which made landfall on Louisiana’s southwestern coast on Monday, September 1, 2008. The Company’s facilities did not sustain any significant storm-related damage other than the temporary loss of electric power.

The Company also reported that its initial assessment of its independent contract producers’ assets indicates no significant damage. Approximately 60 percent of the Company’s growers in its McComb, Mississippi production division are without electrical service, but those farms are equipped with generators to operate equipment until power is restored.

“I am especially pleased we have received no reports of injuries to Company personnel or their families as a result of Hurricane Gustav,” commented Joe F. Sanderson, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer. “While we prepared for the worst, it appears this storm will be much less eventful than Hurricane Katrina. We are not operating our Hammond, Louisiana plant today, which remains without electrical power, and its return to normal operations will be dictated by the restoration of electrical services to the area and the return of normal traffic on interstates following the return of evacuees to south Louisiana. In the meantime, we will continue to help persons affected by the storm, including providing ice and food to those displaced in south Louisiana.”

Finally, the Company has approximately $7.0 million in frozen processed poultry inventories in a third party cold storage facility at the Port of New Orleans. While the facility is currently without electrical power, portable generators should operate to maintain the inventory until power is restored.

Sanderson Farms, Inc. is engaged in the production, processing, marketing and distribution of fresh and frozen chicken and other prepared food items. Its shares trade on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol SAFM.

This press release contains forward-looking statements based on management's current views and assumptions. Actual results and events may differ. For a discussion of these matters, please refer to the "Cautionary Statement Regarding Risks and Uncertainties That May Affect Future Performance" in Item 7 of the Company's 2007 Annual Report on Form 10-K and please refer to the cautionary statement found in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations under the heading "General" in Part I, Item 2 of the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the Company's third quarter ended July 31, 2008.