Nicholas Meat waiting for snow-clear fields before restarting business
LOGANTON, PA – Nicholas Meat LLC remains closed this week, waiting for fields to clear of snow so the Loganton area meat processor can resume the distribution of food processing residuals onto those fields.
Sugar Valley’s largest employer shut down operations on Feb. 23 in the wake of a Department of Environmental Protect action curtailing the distribution of FPRs on snow-covered fields.
Clinton County Economic Partnership President Mike Flanagan said he spoke with a Nicholas Meat representative on Monday and relayed word that at this point, there is still too much snow to reopen: “The snow has not melted enough, especially in the Sugar Valley area fields to allow for the process to begin in the relative near future. Also, if given the go-ahead to spread the food processing residuals, Nicholas will still need a few days to begin the process, get cattle in on a small scale, then eventually ramp up.”
In the wake of the shutdown, Nicholas Meat held a Zoom news conference last Wednesday to pass along more information on its decision to temporarily shut down in the wake of the 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 Feb. 23 after the DEP order.
Among those speaking on behalf of Nicholas last 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 He said information in the manual, which he said dates to 1994, is outdated and new technology employed by Nicholas does not disturb the soil during its application.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.
