Item 1. Legal Proceedings
ITEM 1.
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
Other than the following matters, there have been no material changes with respect to the legal proceedings disclosed in our Transition Report on Form 10-K for the eight months ended December 29, 2013, nor have any significant new matters arisen during the three months ended March 30, 2014.
North Carolina Nuisance Litigation
As previously disclosed in our Transition Report on Form 10-K for the eight months ended December 29, 2013, in July, August and September 2013, 25 complaints were filed in the Superior Court of Wake County, North Carolina by 479 individual plaintiffs against Smithfield and our wholly owned subsidiary, Murphy-Brown, alleging causes of action for nuisance and related claims. All 25 complaints stem from previously disclosed requests for pre-litigation mediation of farm nuisance disputes filed in Wake County, North Carolina in early July 2013.
On April 15, 2014, an additional request for pre-litigation mediation of farm nuisance dispute was filed against the Company and Murphy-Brown in Duplin County, North Carolina on behalf of 35 claimants, at least some of whom appear to be claimants in the Wake County proceedings. The Company believes that the claims are unfounded and intends to defend the suits vigorously
Neuse Riverkeeper Foundation and Waterkeeper Alliance NOI
From time to time we receive notices from regulatory authorities and others asserting that we are not in compliance with certain environmental laws and regulations. In some instances, litigation ensues.
On March 13, 2014, the Neuse Riverkeeper Foundation and Waterkeeper Alliance submitted a 60-day Notice of Intent (NOI) to file a citizen suit against the Company, our wholly owned subsidiary Murphy-Brown, a contract grower, the landowner, and certain individual employees of either Murphy-Brown or the contract grower related to alleged violations of the Clean Water Act at a hog farm in Greene County, North Carolina. The Company is continuing to investigate the allegations and is in the process of responding.
ITEM 1A.
RISK FACTORS
There have been no material changes with respect to the risk factors disclosed in our Transition Report on Form 10-K for the eight months ended December 29, 2013 .
30
ITEM 2.
UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS
Not applicable.
ITEM 3.
DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES
Not applicable.
ITEM 4.
MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not applicable.
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.