Four residents of Loganton, Pennsylvania, prevailed in a lawsuit against Nicholas Meat after its animal waste contaminated local wells. A jury awarded them $145,000 in December for nuisance and trespass. The company has appealed the decision.
Trish Leigey and three neighbors filed the case after tests showed bovine DNA in their water supplies starting in late 2019. They linked the contamination to the company's practice of spreading liquefied slaughterhouse waste on nearby fields. The jury found Nicholas Meat liable for fouling air and water on neighboring properties. The verdict came after a two-week trial in Clinton County court. The company, which slaughters about 1,000 cattle daily and employs over 425 people, supplies chains including Giant and Burger King. Nicholas Meat appealed the ruling on May 5. The award covers costs such as bottled water and new wells but does not require changes to operations. Waste spreading remains legal under state guidelines with limited oversight. Leigey said the experience left her exhausted and called the practice unfair. Her lawyer noted the company saves significant costs by disposing of waste locally rather than treating it.
