An inspection of the lamb-packing facility in Globeville uncovered "several" violations of the Clean Air Act, resulting in $119,200 in penalties, the EPA announced on Wednesday, September 25. As part of a settlement agreement, the company addressed the violations and will spend at least $250,000 on significant equipment upgrades beyond what is legally required to prevent the release of toxic chemicals from the facility, according to the EPA.
The violations revolved around the slaughterhouse's use of the chemical anhydrous ammonia in its refrigeration system. Per the settlement, the company failed to design and maintain a safe facility to prevent chemical releases, minimize the consequences of accidental releases and appropriately assess and identify hazards.
“This fine is just the latest proof that Superior Farms cannot be trusted as a responsible steward of the environment,” says Olivia Hammond, spokesperson for Pro-Animal Future, the group leading the campaign to ban slaughterhouses. “Superior Farms has a years-long record of recklessly violating federal laws, endangering the surrounding community and harming workers and animals.”
Ian Silverii, spokesperson for the opposition campaign fighting the ban, argues that the settlement agreement emphasizes Superior Farms' commitment to compliance.
"[Pro-Animal Future has] a track record of exaggerating claims to serve their goal of banning meat," Silverii says. "Unsurprisingly, even though the EPA praises Superior Farms for 'going beyond what is required by code,' Pro-Animal Future ignores the facts because they will say anything and do anything to pass its ban on a single employee-owned business that has been operating in Denver for seventy years."
In the EPA's announcement, Regional Administrator KC Becker said the agency is "pleased" with Superior Farms' supplemental safety measures that "will benefit the surrounding community with environmental justice concerns by preventing dangerous chemical accidents.”
Colorado is the third-largest producer of sheep and lambs in the nation, according to the American Sheep Industry Association, with Superior Farms harvesting around 300,000 lambs per year. The Denver slaughterhouse is the largest lamb-packing plant in the country, accounting for 15 to 20 percent of lamb slaughter capacity in the United States.
Proposed Ban on Denver Slaughterhouses
Initiated Ordinance 309 on Denver's November ballot asks voters to prohibit the operation and construction of slaughterhouses within city limits beginning in 2026. Superior Farms is currently the only slaughterhouse in Denver that would be impacted by the ban.Greg Ahart, vice president of operations for Superior Farms, frames this latest EPA action as a "cooperative effort," emphasizing that the company voluntarily entered into the agreement to provide supplemental safety upgrades.
"Rather than delaying this effort, we thought it prudent to work with the EPA on this advanced system and reap its benefits as soon as possible," Ahart says. "We’re excited to take this next step to ensure we continue to exceed food-quality standards and provide the safest environment for our employee-owners."
But proponents of the slaughterhouse ban say the EPA fine is only the most recent transgression. Pro-Animal Future has accused the facility of violating environmental regulations and dumping lamb feces into the nearby South Platte River, claiming to have gotten the information from former employees.
The animal-rights group also points to accusations of animal mistreatment levied against Superior Farms' other facility, in Dixon, California, where a 2016 video from activists showed sheep struggling and seemingly continuing to breathe after having their throats slit.
“Superior Farms has been poisoning the surrounding community for years,” says Aidan Kankyoku, campaign coordinator for Initiative 309. “This is a classic case of environmental racism. This kind of behavior would never be tolerated in Cherry Creek, but in the majority Latino neighborhood of Globeville, it’s just par for the course."
"Ultimately, this fine is a slap on the wrist," Kankyoku adds, "leaving it in the hands of Denver voters to create accountability by voting yes on 309 in November.”
