Local activists are claiming a victory after the properties for two proposed industrial-scale chicken ranches were put up for sale.
Real estate listings for Hiday Ranch, near Aumsville, and Evergreen Ranch, near Scio, were posted on redfin.com Aug. 31 and Sept. 21, respectively. Both were formerly proposed as chicken ranches to produce broiler chickens for Foster Farms. The property for Hiday Ranch, 10963 Porter Road, was purchased by Hiday Poultry Farms LLC in 2021 for $1.15 million and is currently listed for $1.3 million. The property for Evergreen Ranch, 43157 Thomas Drive, was purchased in 2022 by Southeast Ag Investments LLC for $1.4 million and is listed for that price.
On Sept. 22, Scio-based Farmers Against Foster Farms (FAFF) issued a statement saying the real estate listings were “very good news for our fight.”
“We have come a long way over the last three years and, while we still have work to do, this is a moment to celebrate,” said FAFF in a communication to members.
The group formed in March 2021 in opposition to J-S Ranch, in Jordan, on the grounds that such facilities would pollute local air and groundwater. J-S Ranch owner Eric Simon pushed back on the arguments, saying farmers benefit from healthy chickens and neighbors, and potential contamination would be negligible. Simon received a permit from the state in 2022 to operate a confined animal feeding operation and is moving forward with construction of J-S Ranch.
– Stephen Floyd
