Voters Reject Sanderson Farms Project in Nash County, NC

BAILEY, N.C., Jan. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A new poll shows that 61% of voters in Nash and Wilson County believe Sanderson Farms should explore alternative sites.  According to a public opinion survey released today by Public Policy Polling in Raleigh, Nash and Wilson residents base their assessments on environmental reports indicating that animal waste spray fields will negatively impact the local water supply and watersheds.

"Voters are telling their leaders that this project is a problem for them," said Con Ward, chairman of the Nash County Landowners Association, who commissioned the survey.  "62% of voters said they believe Sanderson Farms could find similar soil types in another location to accommodate the chicken slaughterhouse facility," Ward added.

Ward said that 53% of the respondents were voters in Nash County, 47% from Wilson County.  Ward said nearly 80% of all voters told pollsters they were aware of the Sanderson Farms project.

"Residents are increasingly aware of this project and they don't like it," said Ward. "62% of voters said they would be 'less likely' to support the Sanderson Farms project knowing that most jobs in the facility make just $1.25 above minimum wage.  The new jobs offered by the facility do not represent a gain for the community, if they threaten the local water supply and watersheds."

"56% of voters said they did not trust Sanderson Farms' environmental management record to protect the watersheds," Ward added. "60% of voters said they worry about the impact of 500 new chicken houses on the local and regional environment. The chicken houses will be needed to supply broilers and fryers to the slaughterhouse and they are not regulated by state government."

"This is a bad idea. It's a bad location. It's a bad project," said Ward.  "Now we know the public agrees this isn't good for Nash County and we have quantifiable results to prove it."

"Voters are telling their elected officials that they don't think it's a fair trade to threaten the region's environment and watersheds for a new chicken slaughterhouse project," said Tom Jensen with Public Policy Polling. "A large number of voters don't believe that the new jobs offset the concerns they have about the danger the new facility poses to the environment."

SOURCE Nash County Landowners Association