KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Independence, Missouri, law firm Humphrey, Farrington & McClain, announced plans to file a lawsuit in Jackson County circuit court to prevent the expansion of operations at Valley Oaks Steak Co., a cattle feeding and beef processing facility based in Lone Jack, Missouri. The law firm is representing 141 residents living within a 5-mile radius of company’s property, where the company initially received a permit to expand from the Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources with the provision that written appeals from concerned parties would be considered by zoning officials. Powell Gardens, a nearby botanical garden was among the parties filing an appeal to the expansion approval and state officials subsequently granted a stay as the impact of increasing Valley Oaks’ herd limit from 999 head to 6,999 is considered.

The lawsuit claims the cattle feeding operation has negatively impacted the quality of life of homeowners living around the company and expansion will serve to make conditions worse, based on the environmental impact, odor, traffic and other factors.

 “As of this moment, nothing’s been filed in court and we have not been served,” said Jake Huddleston, operations manager at Valley Oaks. “Until we get further chance to review the lawsuit, we don’t have any comment further than that.”