Denver slaughterhouse ban could affect food systems in Colorado and beyond
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Jennifer Martin, Colorado State University
(THE CONVERSATION) Ballot measure 309 aims to ban slaughterhouses in the city and county of Denver. If passed, the measure would close just one facility, Superior Farms, in the Globeville neighborhood north of Denver.
I’m an associate professor of animal sciences at Colorado State University. My research explores solutions for meat and food system challenges such as food safety, market resiliency and sustainability. I’m part of a research team that examined the potential effects of ballot measure 309 on the local, state, national and global meat supply chain.
Denver’s only slaughterhouse
The Superior Farms lamb processing facility employs approximately 160 people and represents 15% to 20% of the total lamb slaughter capacity in the U.S. Our study reports that the sheep harvested at the Denver facility are primarily from Colorado and the Mountain West region.
Colorado has rugged...