Kingdom Provisions is currently operating a slaughterhouse waste composting site at the Shull Farm property. Neighbors have reported dramatic increases in vermin and flies, along with rotting flesh odors so strong, people gag when outside their houses. Furthermore, recent state Department of Environmental Protection inspections have documented multiple violations. While residents accept the normal odors of a rural community, this situation is different; it involves slaughterhouse waste managed by a company with a documented history of fines and issues. Residents are responding to proven problems and real impacts.
For many, the issue is not composting itself. Done properly, composting is responsible and safe. The concern is whether this specific operation will maintain the rigorous compliance required for handling slaughterhouse waste, referred to in regulatory documents as food processing residuals (FPR)
Our concern is heightened by Kingdom Provisions’ prior history of environmental and operational issues.
Residents are increasingly concerned that the operational and environmental problems previously associated with Kingdom Provisions are not being resolved, but instead relocated. The concern is not merely about one site, but about a recurring pattern in which serious waste handling issues continue to reappear under different arrangements and at different locations.
Without comprehensive oversight and enforceable controls, residents fear Plumstead Township will remain trapped in a continuous cycle of reactive enforcement rather than permanent solutions.
Trust has been broken.
In fact, it collapsed as neighbors experienced these issues firsthand, and was further damaged when DEP inspections documented violations on-site. For the community, these were not isolated mistakes, but confirmation that their concerns were legitimate.
Residents are not reacting to hypothetical fears, misinformation, or engaging in a simple “Not in My Backyard” response. They are responding to documented findings, Kingdom Provisions’ formal admissions to the DEP involving un-permitted waste dumping and odor violations, and an established pattern of failures to follow environmental regulations. Given this history, the community cannot simply accept yet another round of assurances that “things will be done differently next time” while the same problems continue to repeat.
READ: Kingdom Provisions Slaughterhouse in Pipersville Cited for Inhumane Handling of Animals, Again
We support lawful, responsible agricultural practices. However, trust can only be rebuilt through transparency, strict compliance, and independent oversight, especially when managing waste that impacts odor, water quality, and property values, and when managed by a company known for repeated violations.
At this stage, general promises to “do better” are insufficient. Residents require clear, written enforceable agreements between Kingdom Provisions, the township, and county agencies that define operational limits on waste types, quantities, and pile sizes.
Residents are also calling for written documented control plans, independent monitoring, and third-party audits rather than relying on company self-reporting. We need rapid local investigation and enforcement when impacts are reported.
READ: Legal Troubles Double for Stoltzfus and Kingdom Provisions Slaughterhouse in Pipersville
There needs to be a formal township-level complaint process with required response timelines, automatic shutdown provisions for repeat violations, and meaningful financial penalties tied to noncompliance. While a complaint process already exists through PA DEP, responses and enforcement are too slow when immediate impacts are affecting the community.
This is not just a debate about composting. It is a matter of public trust, environmental accountability, and whether adequate safeguards exist to protect our community.
David Meiser is a 35-year resident of Plumstead Township, a retired pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs Officer, the former chair of the Sierra Club of Bucks County, and a co-founder of Bucks Environmental Action.
