“The jury verdict and award in the lawsuit filed in North Carolina against Smithfield Foods represent a blow to jobs and the state’s economy fueled by anti-animal agriculture rhetoric. Smithfield Foods is one of the largest employers in the state, bringing economic opportunity to thousands of North Carolina residents. Smithfield operated in compliance with federal and state laws, including applicable occupational health and safety rules. It is troubling that the jury did not have the opportunity to visit either Smithfield’s operation or the plaintiffs’ property to assess for themselves the circumstances and understand the facts – facts that cannot be conveyed in a meaningful way within the courtroom’s walls. If this verdict and award stand, they could have a chilling effect on animal agriculture within the state.”
Barry Carpenter
President and CEO
North American Meat Institute
Source: North American Meat Institute
