Kingdom Provisions slaughterhouse hit with lawsuits

After a year’s worth of odor and runoff complaints from a local slaughterhouse’s neighbors, Plumstead Township, the County of Bucks and Heritage Conservancy are suing to compel Kingdom Provisions LLC to clean up an operation they claim is violating numerous regulations.

Residents have been reporting a sickening stench of dead animals emanating from the property and, in one case, puddles of blood appearing on a neighbor’s driveway that were believed to be runoff from the slaughterhouse.

Attorney John A. VanLuvanee, of Eastburn & Gray P.C., in Doylestown, represents Kingdom Provisions. He could not be reached for comment Monday on the legal filings.

On July 9, Plumstead Township filed an injunction against the business, which operates near the corner of Durham and Stump roads, saying it violated a 2022 conservation easement the municipality established about four months before Kingdom Provisions began using the property.

Until changes bring the operation into compliance, the township wants the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas to put a stop to animal slaughter and composting without filing and following an approved conservation plan. It also calls for Kingdom Provisions to stop discharging wastewater into Cabin Run Creek and for it to submit a stormwater management plan. It also seeks damages and payment of township attorneys’ fees.

On July 24, Heritage Conservancy and the County of Bucks sued Kingdom Provisions, claiming the slaughterhouse violates a second easement — an agricultural conservation easement — that exists on the property.

It takes issue with Kingdom Provisions allegedly slaughtering 300 to 400 animals per week, none of which are raised on the property. That, the suit claims, violates the requirement of the agricultural easement that more than 50% of the slaughtered animals be raised on site. Likewise, the business’ alleged onsite disposal of carcasses, blood and other byproducts isn’t allowed either, nor does it comply with standards for such activities set by either the state Department of Environmental Protection or the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the suit claims.

It also accuses Kingdom Provisions of failing to submit and follow a necessary conservation plan and asks the court to prohibit the business “from operating a slaughterhouse on the property and from disposing of Food Processing Residual waste” at the facility, compel the operation to file an updated and approved soil and water conservation plan and restore areas of the property to what existed at the time the easement was created. Costs, damages and attorney’s fees are also sought.

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