Prestage Plant Case Study

Imagine waking up every morning and stepping outside just to smell the familiar odor of the hog processing plant outside of the town.This is what is happening to small towns with Prestage plants or Pork processing plants. This could potentially be happening to Mason City if we were to get the Prestage plant. Pork processing plants have been around since the 1900´s, the city of Mason City has deep pride in its history including the Decker processing plant . The industry standards have changed and the processing plants of the past are no long viable today. Concerned citizens were lined up for hours at the Mason City Public Library to share their opinion on the huge decision. On one side of the debate people claim that we should get the Prestage plant because it will bring money to our community. Nevertheless, It is absolutely critical that Mason CIty downvoted the Prestage plant because it will cause odor and pollution throughout the town and surround areas, they treat the animals poorly and there will be quality of life issues with the workers.

The first reason it is absolutely critical that Mason City downvoted the Prestage plant is that it will cause odor and pollution throughout the town and surround areas.

PETA also notes that, “To get around water pollution limits, factory farms will frequently take the tons of urine and feces that are stored in cesspools and turn them into liquid waste that they spray into the air.” (PETA p.1) Basically they are saying that we are inhaling feces from the hogs which could cause potential health