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Concern NC ag nuisance lawsuits target entire pork industry

The president of the Minnesota Pork Producers Association suspects those behind the ag nuisance lawsuits in North Carolina are trying to take down the entire industry.

Greg Boerboom runs a farrow-to-finish farm near Marshall in southwest Minnesota.

“I think they are targeting an industry (and) trying to take an industry down.  I read something (recently that said) first they targeted tobacco and shut tobacco down.  Then they targeted another industry, and it’s like they progressed to now target pork production.”

Three nuisance cases over the past three months have resulted in large judgments against Smithfield and its contract farmers over noise and odors from their hog farms.

Boerboom tells Brownfield he’s concerned similar outcomes could trickle over into other states.

“They’re suing Smithfield, which owns the pigs, but (the pigs) are in contract-grower barns.  The neighbors are bypassing the barn owners and suing the pig owners.  I think they’re targeting Smithfield because they are big and perceived to be bad, and an easy target.”

The National Pork Producers Council recently asked a U.S. District Court judge to lift a gag order on communications related to nuisance lawsuits filed against more than 20 North Carolina hog farms.

 

Greg Boerboom audio: