Nicholas Meat asks DEP to remove compliance order

LOGANTON, PA – Nicholas Meat called a Zoom news conference Wednesday to pass along more information on its decision to temporarily shut down in the wake of a DEP action curtailing the company’s distribution of food processing residual (FPR) on snow-covered fields.

The Nicholas firm, which employs 350 people at its Sugar Valley meat processing plant, chose to cease operations at the close of business on Tuesday after the Department of Environmental Protection earlier this month ordered that the Nicholas firm could no longer spread the residual material on snow-covered fields.

Among those speaking on behalf of Nicholas on Wednesday was Dr. Robin C. Brandt, technical director from Material Matters, Inc., identified as the principal author of the state’s FPR Management Manual. Brandt said the DEP order reversed a long-standing agency policy which had allowed such FPR dispersal. He said information in the manual, which he said dates to 1994, is outdated and new technology employed by Nicholas does not disturb the soil during its application. He said Nicholas equipment allows the FPR application to be done in “an environmentally sound manner.” In seeking DEP to change its position, he urged that Nicholas be allowed to reopen its doors as quickly as possible.

DEP had said on Tuesday it did not tell the Nicholas firm to shut down, that decision was made by the company. Brian Miller, Director of Sustainability at Nicholas, said the firm’s decision to temporarily shut down was a difficult one. He said the company was left with no alternative and the closure will impact over 350 employees, 150 contract workers and hundreds of farmers. He noted company employees are still being paid “at the time being.”

He called the DEP decision an “arbitrary reversal of longstanding policy.”

Miller said he was not sure when the plant will reopen, noting there is still “a lot of snow-covered ground.” He said Nicholas has looked at different options other than the spread on snow-covered fields, but termed them not viable. He said DEP had offered suggestions but said they came from “bureaucrats who don’t know how things work.” Miller said area farmers have the option of going to a sale barn 30 miles away that is open one day a week or locating another slaughter house. He noted the Loganton area plant receives cattle from the northeast, Midwest, west and Canada.

Miller also said the company earlier this month had received approval for construction of a wastewater treatment facility which will help to address the current issue.

Other speakers included Justin Snook, a Loganton area farmer and president of the Clinton County Farm Bureau. He said the Nicholas closure blocks “the best local market” for the slaughter of cows and said the shutdown is costing the local community $100,000 a week. He said opponents to the FPR spread are in “in the minority” and the local agricultural community is in support.

Also participating was John Painter, an organic beef farmer from Westfield, Pennsylvania who talked of the shutdown impact on the farm community in the region.

Also on Wednesday, Clinton County Economic Partnership President/CEO Mike Flanagan released a statement expressing hope a solution can be found before waiting for snow-covered fields to melt:

“As the Chamber of Commerce and economic development arm of the county, we are concerned any time that over 325 plus workers no longer have a job. This is the case at Nicholas Meat in Greene Township, as Nicholas Meat informed the Partnership that a shutdown began late Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 23. The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) had issued an order to stop spreading “Food Processing Residuals” (FDRs) on surrounding snow-covered fields. The state order did not force Nicholas to shut down, but since there is no place at this time to dispose of the FDRs, Nicholas had its last slaughter of cattle on Feb. 22.

“We don’t pretend to know all the facts and all the scientific, environmental reasons involved with this matter.

What we would like to see is Nicholas Meat and DEP, if possible, to work on a solution that is good for everyone – the state, the environment, employees, customers, farmers and the greater Sugar Valley community. Some flexibility may be needed, and we hope that a solution can be had, rather than waiting for snow to melt.”