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Manure lagoons stir battle over Chinese-owned pigs

March 13, 2015, Duplin County, NC – What do China, its rapidly growing middle class and manure lagoons in North Carolina have in common? Absolutely nothing. And even if they did, don’t mention it.

So say attorneys for the Chinese company that owns America’s largest pork producer, Smithfield Foods. They have asked a federal judge to forbid people who live near these manure lagoons from mentioning the new Chinese owners – or the country of China or pork exports to China – in court.

More than 500 North Carolinians who live near the company’s sprawling lakes of pig manure have brought lawsuits. They contend their health and property values are being hurt by the lagoons and that the Chinese owners are making the situation worse by expanding pig farms to export more hams, bacon and loins to China. READ MORE