Noem says fight over Wholestone is driving business out of South Dakota

The battle over Wholestone Farms is driving potential business out of South Dakota according to Gov. Kristi Noem.

The governor made the comments during a Tuesday interview with radio host Bill Zortman, where she criticized many aspects of the opposition to the pork processing plant planned for northeastern Sioux Falls, which has led to a November ballot question that could ban the construction and operation of new slaughterhouses within city limits.

More: Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce urges members to vote against slaughterhouse ban

"I think that is sad," Noem said. "Because you pass a ballot measure like this down here, that puts every single project we do in South Dakota in jeopardy in the future."

Noem said the fight was showing companies in the state that even if they meet all the requirements and plan for years, "at the last minute one person can get mad, do a ballot petition and end my business and my investment.”

That's similar to the comments made by the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce, which announced its official opposition to the ballot measure this week, as well as Christine Erickson, the executive director of the South Dakota Trucking Association and a former city councilor.

More: As construction starts, anti-slaughterhouse group is willing to take Wholestone to court

Noem also claimed that the fight over Wholestone's construction has sent other projects packing for other states.

"We had one family decide not to do a new ... food manufacturing plant in South Dakota," Noem said, "because they said 'We don't want a battle like that to be our family legacy.'"

Citizens for a Sustainable Sioux Falls, the primary group opposing the plant's construction, has said the plant would have negative effects on the city's quality of life, including odor and water quality.

“Governor Noem’s comments reinforce why it’s so important for local residents to have the final say on whether Sioux Falls is a place to call home or a place to slaughter livestock,” said Robert Peterson, an official with both Citizens for a Sustainable Sioux Falls and Smart Growth Sioux Falls, an associated ballot committee.

“Voters know that more slaughterhouses will only discourage future investment, increase odor and truck traffic, and compound the city’s water supply and wastewater challenges," Peterson continued.

More: Head of SD Trucking Association says Wholestone opposition sets 'damning' precedent

But Noem said the new plant would not be a repeat of Smithfield's current facility in Sioux Falls, taking several swipes at the company.

"Smithfield’s violated water quality issues for years and years, and dumps dirty water into the Big Sioux, and its a Chinese-owned company, and I got a not-great relationship with them during Covid because they wouldn’t work with me to help protect their people," she said.

Noem added that she thinks there have been some improvements to Smithfield, and that she believes they're trying to invest in and improve their existing building.

"But the fact is," she said, "the new facility would be much more advanced. [It] wouldn’t have the water quality issues at all, would not have the smell issues that you see coming out of Smithfield.”

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Noem says Wholestone fight is losing South Dakota business