Legal challenge to Smithfield's hog production increase filed today: widespread environmental hazards and lack of worker safety cited
Increased production could contradict new hog farm moratorium law, environmental groups charge
A number of North Carolina residents including Smithfield workers are challenging the recently released permit for Smithfield Packing's water quality at its Tar Heel plant. On the heels of the moratorium passed yesterday on new hog farms, it is ironic, some environmental groups charge, that the state is in effect creating an incentive for more hogs to be slaughtered to accommodate Smithfield';s growing appetite for hog production.
The permit that was issued by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Water Quality last month allows Smithfield to continue to discharge large amounts of wastewater into the Cape Fear River, stirring alarm over increased pollution of the water. Additionally, according to the legal challenge, the permit limit for groundwater usage exceeds the recharge rate of the aquifer.
Petitioners cite inadequate monitoring requirements and claim that the permit does not require the slaughterhouse to immediately comply with new federal effluent guidelines.
One petitioner, Haywood Mason, is a disabled veteran who resides with his three-year-old grandson approximately 15 miles from the Smithfield slaughterhouse who expressed concern over the impact on the health of his family.
Chris Council, another petitioner, is an employee at the Tar Heel plant who grew up along the Cape Fear River and still lives near-by. Council is very concerned that the increased production cap will have a deleterious impact on the working conditions in the plant.
The petition charges that the permit does not adequately take into account “secondary impacts” on workers within the Smithfield slaughterhouse who will face significant stress, physical hardships and additional accidents directly brought about by the increased throughput of hogs. Injuries at the plant have already risen 200 percent between2003 and 2006, paralleling an increase in the slaughter rate during the same time. The company stated it will not increase the workforce to accommodate the rise in production and workers fear that the speed of the work which can cause many of the injuries will escalate further.
The plaintiffs are represented by noted environmental attorney John Runkle.
For more information contact Julie Eisenberg with Research Associates of America 202 833-8528 jeisenberg@fast-raa.com.
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The Council of Churches of Greater Washington, a coalition of 75 area churches, passed a resolution condemning Smithfield Foods for creating an environment of intimidation and fear for workers and encourages its congregants to take direct action by not purchasing Smithfield products and contacting the company. Click for a copy of the resolution in html or as a pdf.
DC City Council introduces resolution condemning Smithfield Foods for creating an environment of intimidation and fear for workers and encourages all supermarkets and vendors in DC from stocking Smithfield meat products. Click for a copy of the resolution in html or as a pdf.
The August '08 issue of Business North Carolina features a cover story on the Justice@Smithfield campaign. Read the article in html or as a pdf.
New York Times columnist Adam Liptak discusses the lawsuit against Justice@Smithfield and the First Amendment. Read the column.
Fayetteville Observer: "Ruling forbids Smithfield Packing using threats"
The March '08 cover story in Labor Notes asks, "Is Fighting for Justice at Smithfield Racketeering?"
Smithifield's Tar Heel workers win a paid Martin Luther King Holiday. Read the press release.
Avram Lyon says when he sees Paula Deen on TV, "all I can think of are the people working under horrible conditions at Smithfield." Read his article in the Forward.
Breast Cancer foundation sues Smithfield Foods for trademark violation.
Read Justice@Smithifield's statement on the U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit court ruling on Smithfield.
The final quarter of Paula Deen's hour-long appearence on NPR's Diane Rehm Show Nov. 28 was dominated by questions over her association with Smithfield Foods. Listen to the show using Windows Media Viewer or Real Player.
On Thursday, November 8, 2007, activists with the Western Massachusetts Jobs With Justice organized a protest outside a brand new Big Y supermarket in Northampton. Read More.
On September 12, the Bergen County (NJ) Central Trades and Labor Council passed a resolution calling on Smithfield to "[o]bey the law, by providing a safe workplace, giving Smithfield workers the right to chose a union...free from interferene of any kind."
On August 6, Smithfield Tar Heel plant worker Jose Ozorio Figueroa was terminated. Company representatives claim it was for showing up four minutes late to his shift, but Ozorio believes that he was fired for his union activities. Read his statement.
Presidential Master Chef Talli V. Counsel asks celebrity chef Paula Deen to use her influence to end the “brutal working conditions” at Smithfield’s Tar Heel Plant. Read more.
On August 1, 2007, the City of Boston passed a resolution calling on the city to "review its purchasing of any products from the Smithfield Packing Company in Tar Heel, North Carolina....and suspend these purchases until the company ends all form of abuse, inimidation and violence against its workers..." It also encourages Boston supermarkets "to consider suspending their purchase of any Smithfield products..."
On Saturday, July 14, dozens of Nashville clergy, civil rights leaders and consumers rallied to demand that two area supermarkets to stop stocking Smithfield Foods pork products made at the company’s Tar Heel plant. Read more.
More than 100 supporters rallied in front of a Publix supermarket in Atlanta to demand that the market stop carrying pork products from Smithfield's Tar Heel plant. Read More.
More than 250 family members and supporters of Smithfield Workers delivered a Father’s Day Card to Harris Teeter’s president. Read the news coverage [With Video].
On June 4, the City of Cambridge, MA unanimously passed a resolution in support Smithfield workers in Tar Heel. Read the historic resolution.
Children of Smithfield workers will deliver a Father's Day card to Harris Teeter's PresidentDownload the flyer.
Jim Hightower: Paula Deen "has cooked up a big ol' mess of political controversy for herself." Read the story.
