The impact of the most recent fines on JBS USA's plans to expand stunning and bleeding operations and other upgrades remains to be seen. The company said its expansion plans include the enclosure of an outdoor loading area. Representatives of the company said the upgrades should significantly reduce odors. The plant is known locally as Swift.
In March, the Louisville Metro Board of Zoning Adjustment approved the company's expansion plans, but the board's approval came with conditions. The board capped the number of hogs to be slaughtered at the facility, and the plant is subject to regular visits by city code inspectors to verify the number of hogs slaughtered. The board also stipulated that JBS make regular reports on its pollution control efforts every six months for two years.
In April, the Butchertown Neighborhood Association filed an appeal in Jefferson Circuit Court seeking to overturn the board's decision allowing the plant expansion.
