Stench costs millions for producer
Three families, troubled by the smell from a North West Missouri pig farm, must be paid $4.5 million by Premium Standard Farms (PSF), the US’s second-largest pork producer, a jury ruled.
The families’ lawyer, Charles Speer, said the verdict was “by far and away the biggest award (in the nation) against a major confined animal producer.”
More lawsuits are to be expected, as Speer is dealing with more than 50 other lawsuits against PSF. A separate class action involving a group of law firms aims to represent owners, having property within 10 miles of the company’s over 20 pig farms in the state of Missouri.
Hostility
Before the jury read its verdict, attorney Kirk Goza said the property owners were motivated by hostility against corporate farms. In his view the smells were minor, infrequent and quickly faded.
He added that PSF is looking for new methods to stop odour and has already spent millions of dollars to control it.
Premium Standard, which has about 2,200 employees in Missouri, is in the process of being sold to Smithfield, the world’s largest pork processor.
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