We have been concerned, from the very beginning, about the way these cases were tried and the threat they pose to our industry. It is gratifying to have a judge rule, as a matter of law, that Murphy-Brown is not willfully harming its neighbors or operating with malice and that no punitive damages should be awarded in this case.

While we disagree that this farm is considered a nuisance, we are grateful that the jury rejected the plaintiffs’ attorney’s plea to award millions of dollars to neighbors who live near a well-run hog farm.

We continue to believe that the handling of previous cases deserves careful review in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.