"When climate technology breaks down, the results can be deadly."
"After Steven Barrows left his job at a hog slaughtering facility in Sioux City, Iowa, he sent a tip to the Environmental Protection Agency. In the tip, received by the EPA April 16, Barrows described the parking lot of Seaboard Triumph Foods LLC as a 'dump site for rotten meats.' He also sent photos -- some displaying dead pigs piled up outside of the building and others showing a smoky, noxious gas wafting inside. A representative for the EPA has confirmed to Sentient that they received a complaint, but has provided no further comment.
Seaboard Triumph Foods is a joint venture between two leading pork producers, Triumph Foods and Seaboard Foods. The latter touts anaerobic digesters as proof of its environmental stewardship, a way to �harvest� biomethane for renewable energy. Manure from pork production is a major source of agricultural methane emissions -- typically second only to dairy according to EPA assessments.
Anaerobic lagoons are also a way to contain and manage hog waste. At Seaboard Triumph, the lagoons collect the manure, blood and guts of thousands of hogs. The waste is flushed or piped into the lagoons, where anaerobic bacteria breaks down the organic material in order to extract the biogas."
Nina B. Elkadi reports for Sentient July 21, 2025.
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