Christine Erickson, Executive Director of the SD Trucking Association and outgoing Sioux Falls City Councilor is blasting opponents of a proposed Sioux Falls Pork Plant for their NIMBY attitude on how and where the food supply is being produced:
“In South Dakota, we talk about being open for business,” said Christine Erickson, who began leading the South Dakota Trucking Association last year, shortly before the end of her eight-year term as a city councilor.
and..
Wholestone is a company brought here by the city and state’ business-friendly policies, and they’ve followed all the rules and received the necessary approvals, Erickson said.
“That precedent that’s being set is really, really damning,” she said. “If somebody doesn’t like your industry, somebody can just put it on the ballot.”
Read the entire story here in the Argus Leader.
With a processing plant already smack in the center of the community, does it make much sense to try to block more ag processing, especially on the edge of Sioux Falls?
“With a processing plant already smack in the center of the community, does it make much sense to try to block more ag processing, especially on the edge of Sioux Falls?”
You forgot the word “stinking”. Stinking processing plant. And smelly trucks full of squealing pigs backing up to it. I know because I see and smell it every week.
Yes… it makes sense to block it. Why would anyone suggest having another one in town? They can do it away from the noses of 200,000 people.
There is a vote coming up. They will lose. I dare the governor, mayor or council to defy the will of voters on this one.
Modern processing plants do not smell. Visit one. Moreover, it’s planned in a commercial zone, not next to homes. The exception being maybe the most expensive, soon to be completed home within 1.5 miles as the bird flies and whos owner is likely funding the entire opposition campaign.
Is that right?
Katie Sinclair, vice president of export sales, marketing and research and development at Wholestone said: “I can’t promise it will never smell”. Sinclair and the Wholestone team recognize that even with the added technology, there may occasionally be a faint aroma. (August 3rd. swineweb.com)
Then there are the trucks and trucks and more trucks of squealing, stinky pigs riding into town.
Who thought this was a good idea?
If you’re using the 100 year old Smithfield plant as your benchmark for what modern plants look and smell like, I can’t help you.
Oh, and the plant is going to be built regardless of this vote.
It won’t be built.
But the arrogance of Wholestone is astonishing. They’ll do it anyway? Unbelievably obnoxious.
So build it in someone else’s neighborhood because i like to eat bacon, but i don’t want to be troubled with any of the processing nearby. This is hypocrasy at its worst.
You want a dairy farm next to your home in town? Cuz… you know… you like milk and stuff.
I grew up on one so you might want to reconsider.
My neighborhood in town isn’t zoned for commercial property. Don’t build a house next to property that is zoned accordingly.
Exactly!!
If it’s born and processed in the USA and is an American-owned company, I have no problem with the product.
As for the location, I agree with Elk…if it smells you don’t want it near residences. The only reason for the council lady to be so vehement is the potential loss of tax revenue if the business is moved out of city limits!
If I were the business, I’d consider removing one layer of tax revenue from my bottom line as well and pass the savings on to the consumers.
I don’t live in Sioux Falls so I really don’t have a say in this matter other than to chip in my 2-cents worth.
Just keep in mind that city officials don’t mind if the legal owners are from communist countries….like China!
It makes more sense to put it next to the center of agricultural excellence…. SDSU. (Sorry, Pat)
The stink and stench from the plant would be more then fitting for Sioux Falls. Al of the crime, shootings, armed robberies etc are an indictment of a poorly run Democrat city ……… Ahhhhhh never mind
When Wholestone talks, I hear Mr. Haney.
Driving down 41st or Minnehaha the smell of cigarette smoke; and occasionally that devil weed smell, is obnoxious and negatively affects my cruising happiness so where are all these smeller psychopaths pushing for a smoke free Sioux Falls????
While you’re cruising down “Minnehaha” Ave, about three-quarters of the folks you will see… how do you say it….. are “smeller psychopaths”. You will lose this vote 75% to 25%.
They will lose the vote, but sidestep the ballot initiative by being in operation prior, thus allowing expansion.
Eventually the opponents may get the last laugh, it’s insanely capital intensive starting and operating a packing plant.
How many permits and licenses have they been given already without public input? Who authorized them? And how many will they still need in this scheme to defy voters?
The City of Sioux Falls will be sued into obliviation. If this isn’t a perfect example of the takings clause, I’m not sure what is.
I still believe this gets built, as you pointed out. But if it doesn’t, Wholestone will be paid handsomely by the city.
Who guaranteed them a spot within city limits for this type of facility?
Obviously Wholestone thinks the voters have a right to deny it to them (and they will) or they wouldn’t have come up with their sinister mini-slaughterhouse scheme.
The company says there will sometimes be “a faint odor.” Nothing about the smell of that many hogs coming and “going” is ever “faint.” That is like saying you have a faint cancer.
John Morrell, now Smithfield, was started in 1909 when any new business was welcome. But Sioux Falls now has a vastly larger population and a proven ability to draw businesses that do not lessen the quality of life. If Morrell / Smithfield proposed its plant today, the voters would say move out twenty miles!
The fact that Wholestink intends to plop a hog plant in the city limits, tells you exactly how they will MANAGE the place….with zero concern for its impact on the city.
If they muscle their way into town, get ready for an increase in crime. And a shortage of housing the workers can afford.
I heard this same argument when they moved the Stockyards out of South St. Paul, Minnesota. Elitist community that was too good for packing houses. Oh, and closing the packing houses did nothing to improve the quality of life in St. Paul. If anything, it contributed to the lack of markets in the State and further consolidated the industry.
“elitist”?
That word should be reserved for the ones who think they can ignore overwhelming public opinion and stink up our town.
Who is funding the opposition campaign?
Not me.
But if you tried to put a slaughter house next to my home, and I had the money… it would be me. I am sure it will be funded by many donors. Some wealthier than others.
Few people want this thing in town. And even fewer care about who is donating to the effort to keep it outside city limits.
POET CEO
Let’s see your proof. If you have a list of donors, name them for us. I am sure there are more than a few of them. You don’t though, do you?
Even then… so what. That’s their right.
Take a look at the incorporation filing of the 501(c)4 and see where one of the three registered agents is employed and where the address for the non-profit is registered at. Then, take a look at the location of Imani Ridge. While you’re at it, take a look at the letters of opposition and find who signed on. Obviously, the 501(c)4 does not have to disclose donors, so there will be no list. Some might argue there is a pattern here, however.
And…
Who cares. Who cares who ONE of the donors is? There are likely many donors. IF he is one of them, who are you to say he can’t be involved?
He absolutely can be. However, POETs involvement was poorly thought out.
Last I checked, POET has signed on with the Navigator Carbon pipeline (Not Summit Carbon Solutions). It will be hilarious when this exact method is used to oppose the pipelines off their plants. Of course, then POET will be in favor of the process they are opposed to now. Imagine if the Wholestone ownership helps fund township ballot initiatives to prevent the Navigator pipeline off POET plants?
Aww. You’re so nice.
No one is mentioning the fact that this plant forces Smithfield to update its policies and facilities! Wholestone will provide high quality, state of the art, competition. They will pay higher wages and have better working conditions.
Best case scenario is that Smithfield closes and Sioux Falls is still left with only one processing facility.
How about this… update Smithfield facilities so they stink less and keep any new ones out of town. It’s called common sense.
The Chinese are not going to update their facilities without competition…they probably won’t regardless which will lead to closure. This facility is going to be beautiful. Quit stalling the free market…
I completely agree with Christine. This is a dangerous precedent if a company can invest millions of dollars and follow all the rules, then have the rug pulled out from under them by nimby-ism.
The location of this plant is completely appropriate, even if it happens to be between someone’s billion dollar business and multi-million dollar house.
“Dangerous precedent”?
You are worried about one company’s wishes to stink up the town over the rights of 200,000 residents to challenge this urban slaughterhouse.
The authorities can deny permits. And the public can vote. Nothing unethical or illegal about either.
You don’t need it in town. Don’t put it in town.
Just where is this plant to be located exactly?
Benson and I-229.
She is obviously not an impartial party any more. She has special interests to fight for. Maybe her opinion would be different if this was going up over by 12th and Tea-Ellis Road, with a strong northwest wind into her backyard. The bottom line is we shouldn’t make the same mistake our forefathers made by putting a smelly large slaughterhouse inside city limits, or even close to the boundaries of city limits. Look at how much SF has expanded and is slated to expand in the next 20 years. Pretty soon, Benson and I-229 will be in the middle of the East side of town. Brandon and Sioux Falls will connect up all along Veterans Parkway and this place will be a stinky eyesore right in the middle of it all. Build it 5 miles north of this spot. Or, west of Hartford somewhere.
Wholestone.
The three words that best describe you are, and I quote, “Stink, stank, stunk”!
TDakota NAILED IT. In ten years, that plant will be in the middle of the city.
Crazy.
It will be northeast of the city.
Calm down now, the wind will carry the odor away from the city, toward Brandon and Garretson.
I live about two miles southwest of a feedlot. Can’t smell it. About one day a year we get a whiff when they’re out spreading manure, but we figure that’s what the neighbors’ money smells like.
No, it will not. It is inside the city limits and will only be MORE inside the city limits as the city expands east and north. A north wind will carry it directly south all along Cleveland and Southeastern Avenues. East siders can smell Smithfield with a northwest wind, and east siders would smell Wholestone with a north wind.
This seems crazy to put a meat processing facility in the middle of town. I expect the barnyard smell in the country but who wants that while enjoying city amenities?
Just for those checking in on this post, good to see the Mitchell Republic actually covering the true issues behind this campaign (Broin and POET).
The proponents might also be interested to know POET has just been fined by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for “exceeding its permitted stormwater discharge limits including total suspended solids and carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand, the measurement of dissolved oxygen depletion in wastewater released into a body of water.” They also missed 10% of required sampling collection and reporting between 2019 and 2022, submitting reports late and missing inspections.
Seems to me that POET isn’t as concerned about air and water as much as they claim in their written statements regarding Wholestone.