News

Judge begins hearing NC pork nuisance cases

A federal judge in North Carolina begins hearing the first lawsuit against Murphy-Brown, LLC, from neighbors who claim they are harmed by pork production practices. The pork producers are not the target of the lawsuits but the company itself, which is a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods, owned by WH Group of China, as of 2013.

A second trial before the judge this spring will allow lawyers representing Murphy-Brown to present evidence. Both trials could lead to a potential settlement. At issue, is the method in which hog waste is disposed of – in open air lagoons. North Carolina is the second leading state for pork production in the U.S.