On August 4, 2018, neighbors impacted by industrial hog farms and environmental justice leaders from Rural Empowerment Association for Community Help (REACH) and NC Environmental Justice Network (NCEJN) held a press conference in Duplin County, NC to call for unity in the midst of nuisance lawsuits going forward against Murphy-Brown/Smithfield regarding antiquated and insufficient hog waste disposal methods and the pollution and problems it causes.
“We feel like Smithfield is pitting neighbors against neighbors when they talk about people who are in the nuisance lawsuits. Our community members just want to breathe clean air, drink clean water and not be made sick when they step outside.” -Naeema Muhammad, NCEJN Organizing Co-Director
Click HERE to see video of the press conference.
REACH: The Rural Empowerment Association for Community Help strives to improve the quality of life for families and people of color in rural eastern North Carolina. In particular, REACH addresses social, economic and environmental issues through its environmental awareness, sustainable agriculture, small business development and homeownership programs.
NCEJN: The North Carolina Environmental Justice Network is a statewide, grassroots-led nonprofit organization made up of community members and other organizations that work to fight environmental injustice. NCEJN seeks to promote health and environmental equality for all people of North Carolina through organizing, advocacy, research and education based on principles of economic and equity and democracy for all people. NCEJN supports the communities that are most impacted by environmental injustice and has worked for the past 20 years to change the fact that industrial swine facilities in NC are allowed to pollute low-income communities and communities of color.
