Great Falls Slaughter Plant Public Hearing Cancelled

A public hearing scheduled for Dec. 7 to discuss a proposed multi-species slaughter plant in Great Falls, Mont., has been canceled, a spokesman for the project confirmed for Meatingplace. Friesen Foods is amending its initial special-use permit application, and will reschedule the meeting afterward, said Todd Hanson, managing partner of local project developer Norsman Consulting Group. As proposed, the Madison Food Park would employ as many as 3,000 people in what the company calls a state-of-the-art, robotically controlled, environmentally friendly, multi-species food processing plant for cattle, pigs and chickens and related further processing facilities for beef, pork and poultry. Friesen recently purchased more than 3,000 acres of undeveloped farmland just east of Great Falls. Cattle producers say the facility would help spare them the cost and inefficiency of having to truck cattle out of state to be slaughtered, but some local residents have concerns including what they say are potential environmental and health risks. Developers of the project, meanwhile, counter that the Madison Food Park project will invest in technology and infrastructure to address those types of concerns, including mitigating detectable, residual odors. They emphasize that the project will have a positive economic impact on the area. “The projected influx of workers, and their families, will have measurable economic impact on every aspect of the community, including existing and expanding business enterprises across the spectrum of manufacturing, wholesale, distribution, etc.,” Hanson said in a statement.