Exeter Township, PA – A local poultry plant has been ordered to stop discharging its industrial waste by tomorrow.
The owner of the plant said that order from Exeter Township in Berks County will shut down the operation and put 185 people out of work.
Exeter Township officials would not speak on camera, but they did spell out their argument in the cease and desist order it gave to the Mehadrin Kosher Poultry plant.
Without getting too technical, the township said the poultry plant is discharging too many gallons of waste water per day and it’s late on payments for using the sewer system.
The plant said it processes 70 to 80 birds per minute.
Exeter Township said, during that process, the poultry plant is sending too much sewage per day to the township’s sewer plant.
Mehadrin said how much it discharges should be looked at on a monthly basis because it operates just four days a week.
Mehadrin’s lawyer said the two sides have a dispute, but the township shouldn’t order the plant closed in 48 hours because of it.
Let’s argue about it, said Joseph Bambrick. We’ll present our evidence. We’ll be very happy to present our evidence, but don’t wipe out 185 jobs while you are doing it, plus the suppliers and the customers.
There is also the issue of money. The township said the poultry plant is behind in paying its sewage bill, which is more than $100,000.
But we’re willing to pay a bill, said Bambrick. That’s not going to shut us down because we’re not paying a bill. We’re willing to pay a bill to keep the place operating.
Mehadrin said it uses a lot of ice in packing the chickens.
The township calculates how much the company owes to the sewage plant based on how much water it takes in, but Mehadrin argues it doesn’t put out what the township says it does, and therefore their bill should be lower.
The company said it hasn’t paid its bill because it wants to talk it over.
I don’t want to shut this place down over a bill, said Bambrick. It’s just a dispute.
Bambrick said he will go before a judge tomorrow at 1:30 to argue not to enforce the cease and desist order until there is a trial.
(Source: WFMZ)
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12 Responses
Yikes, first Rubashkin, then Alle (with Peta), and now this. It looks like some people are trying to outlaw shechita in America, if not de jure, then de facto.
I would like to make several points that I think are well founded in Torah-true hashkofah.
#1 Regardless if there is an anti-shechita fever in the air, and it would seem there is not only from happenings in the US, but also in Europe where they are more open about their intentions, nothing happens to Yidden without us deserving what happens. The shaliach may come in the guise of PETA cameramen or civil or human rights activists, but we deserve/earn whatever comes our way. Perhaps we are being told that we need not be so involved in our food. There are Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Moroccan, Italian, Mexican, French, and Italian kosher restaurants. Why? Do we really need it? Is this the way our granparents did it? Did they try to have whatever delicacy their always friendly and loving “cousins” had? Our “Jewish” magazines and newspapers are full of guidelines to better dining, cooking, and drinking. We have wine tastings, we have food expos, etc. Do any of these bring a nachas ruach to HKB”H? Are these meals really worthy of being brought up on our mizbaichos/shulchanos? Perhaps we are being told that if we don’t keep our homes free from the outside world, the outside world will enter at will. The fact that so many fine Jewish homes are allowing non-Jews to bring our children to and from their bus stops (even greet them with motherly affection as they come and go), to feed them, take them to pizza and ice cream, etc. may be reason enough to send a message about the food we eat. If we welcome their influence, HaShem will let them provide it. Or perhaps we are being told we need to pay closer attention to kashrus standards. Perhaps we are not being as careful about kashrus as the “Glatt Kosher Pizza” shop sign would indicate. Do our restaurants have mashgichim? Are they owned by non-Jews who have access to the kitchen when there is no supervision? Are all issues of bishul Akum being addressed?
#2 – If a Jew owes money, he needs to pay it. Did they bring their claims to the city before they refused to pay? Did they try to come to an agreement before bills were simply ignored? There is a way to “fight a bill.” It is not to simply ignore it because you feel it is unfair. Was a “fair” portion of the bill offered/sent in for payment, or did they throw the bills away?
Not really – just run a kosher business. Follow the laws and pay the bills – that’s all.
Since the idea of animal rights has popped up over the last few decades – people (PETA) are poking their noses into places they never used to.
Businesses operate for a profit and it is not uncommon for people to “cut corners” to make more money. It is similar to cheating on taxes. G-d knows what is right and correct and is in complete control of the world, including PETA. He can guide PETA to be interested in our activities or be totally disinterested. It could be that it is a “message” to the business owner to change/improve their operations….
The non-kosher meat processing plants of a century ago were ghastly! There is a good description of it in The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. Nasty!
If I don’t pay my water and sewer bill, the water to my house is cut off. In addition a lein for the amount of the bill will be placed on my house. How is this plant any different?
If the amount is in dispute why did they wait so long to complain about it?
So they should comply with the environmental laws and pay their water bill. This doesn’t sound like it has anything to do with shechita. Unless the company is near bankruptcy, they should pay the bill and then sue for a refund, which is probably what their lawyers told them to do.
With limited productions of meat and chicken, the fish having worm problems. I guess we will stick to fruits n veggies
Great timing- loose those yomtov pounds!!
To # 2:
The Torah does not say anywhere that Jews are to seperate themselves from the world. When there were a lot of Jews in Europe who were kept seprate by decrees and by there own choosing there were still progrom’s. The food you are callign jewish is no more than the fanfare that was available in Europe at the time. Moshe Rabbainu did not eat schmaltz herring, gribbines, ptcha or chulent as we know it today. Streimels are only a few hyndred years old at the most, fedoras are even less. We live in a totaly different society (both good and bad) than that of 100 years ago. Maybe the problem is that we are being told to be stuck in the way our grandparents did things, which may not have been the way their grandparents did things. Maybe Hashem is telling us, get out of the seclusion and start being the light you are supposed to be.
#2 although I don’t disagree with your item # 2 that if you have a bill don’t wait until they threaten to close you down before you call to discuss an outstanding bill, I do take afront to item #1. We as frum yidden need to set an example to the outside world and to our internal world (children, neighbors, etc.). That means we need to act a certain way. However, to try to figure out the Ribono Shel Olam’s cheshbonos is always the wrong route to take. Especially by pointing out others faults (at least in your opinion it is obviously a fault) in a public forum. Let’s just act like good yidden, and everything will be OK, and maybe then we’ll be zoiche to the Geulah shleima.
#7 – While it is true that most of the things that set us apart as jews do not come straight from Moshe Rabbainu, it is still important. We as jews need to maintain our separate identity, and it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to not be effected by the godless society that surrounds us if we dress like they do, eat what they do, and talk like they do. We are different, and we need to remind ourselves of that at all times and in every way possible.
And I fail to see how dressing and eating differently than the goyim stops us from being “the light we are supposed to be.” (paraphrased)
#8 – “to try to figure out the Ribono Shel Olam’s cheshbonos is always the wrong route to take.”
I strongly disagree. A jew is mechuyav at all times to think what Hashem wants us to do, how Hashem wants us to act, what Hashem wants to say, etc, in all situations. This is our job in this world. We cannot know for sure what Hashem wants (which is why we rarely have the right to force our ideas on others), but we should always try our best.
And while #2 is criticizing others in public, he is not doing it in a strong, overbearing tone (“You are wrong!!! What are you doing?!”), and he is clearly doing it for a constructive purpose. Therefore, I see nothing wrong with his public criticism.
#2 –
While the excess in jewish food can be attacked on several grounds, “Is this the way our granparents did it?” is not one of them. Three or four generations ago, none of our ancestors had cars, heating/air conditioning, electric lights, or even indoor plumbing. Obviously the concept of mesorah has got to stop somewhere.
And while the excess of jewish food may be wrong for some, who should be focusing on more important things, it is crucial to to others who are not holding at that madraigah.
“The fact that so many fine Jewish homes are allowing non-Jews to bring our children to and from their bus stops (even greet them with motherly affection as they come and go), to feed them, take them to pizza and ice cream, etc. may be reason enough to send a message about the food we eat.”
I see nothing wrong with hiring goyish help. The jewissh mother/housewife has alot, alot of work to do, and she has every right, if not an obligation, to get help. Or would you rather end up with a generation of overworked, tired and moody wives and mothers? Obviously we must make sure our children are unaffected, but that doesn’t mean we need to pull the plug on hired help.
Funny how governments are anti-business when they are Jewish businesses.