Approximately 10,000 residents of Sioux Falls, SD have signed a petition protesting the erection of a proposed hog processing plant with a projected throughput of six million hogs, annually. Residents have raised close to $1,000 to oppose the plant that will be established within the city limits of Sioux Falls on 170 acres. An entity, Smart Growth Sioux Falls, has filed a civil complaint requesting a denial for any permits prior to the November 2022 election. Corporations including Poet and JDS Industries together with businesses in the city, have each donated from $5,000 to $25,000 to the organization that has already spent close to $85,000 for advertising, consulting and legal services to oppose the plant.
The Chairman of Wholestone Farms previously announced that hogs would be derived from farmers within 75 miles of Sioux Falls. The plant would incorporate a $45 million wastewater treatment installation and installations to limit odor.
The concerted opposition to the farmer-owned plant indicates the degree of concern over issues including odor, property values and traffic common to all large slaughter installations in peri-urban areas of cities, even those traditionally committed to agriculture. A similar situation occurred when Sanderson Farms proposed a broiler processing plant in Nash County, NC. in 2012. Opposition resulted in relocation of the facility to Saint Pauls, NC., where the townsfolk, city and Robeson County officials were more welcoming.