DENVER — With just weeks left before ballots go out in the mail, opposition to the Denver slaughterhouse ban ballot question is getting a hefty boost with the Denver Democrats joining other unlikely opponents airing their concerns over the issue and the filing of a significant campaign finance complaint against proponents of the measure.
The measure titled “Prohibition of Slaughterhouses” would outlaw “the construction, maintenance, or use of” any meat processing facilities in Denver beginning January 1, 2026, as well as “require the city to prioritize residents whose employment is affected by the ordinance in workforce training or employment assistance programs.”
Proponents of the measure say they are seeking an increase in consumption of plant-based protein sources, as well as pushing the claim that the livestock industry is a major contributor to climate change, though no explanation is provided as to how pushing existing meat processing outside of Denver city limits would reduce greenhouse gas emissions or lead to more vegetarian diets.
Although the ban technically targets any facility that processes meat defined as “livestock” under Colorado law, including beef, lamb, poultry and pork, it would in practice impact just one business, the more than 70-year-old Superior Farms, one of the largest lamb processing facilities in the United States. It has been in operation in Denver since the 1950s. They not only ship their product out of state but to almost every grocery store and restaurant in Colorado that sells lamb.
Complete Colorado was the first to break the story on the initiative earlier this year.
Proponents slapped with complaint
Last week, former Denver City Councilwoman Kendra Black filed an extensive campaign finance complaint with Secretary of State Jena Griswold against Pro-Animal Future (PAF) and Pro-Animal Denver (PAD) – two of the organizations backing the citizen initiated measure.
In her complaint, Black alleges that the two are conspiring with each other to hide their donors. On March 31, 2023 organizers formed PAF as a Colorado nonprofit corporation, and trademarked the name Pro-Animal Denver.
Under the trade name registration PAF said PAD’s activities “under this trade name would be “campaigning for ballot measures.”
In the news release Black says “PAF has made contributions totaling $216,396.00 to PAD in support of Initiated Ordinance 309, the ban on slaughterhouses in Denver, and $227,886 in support of Initiated Ordinance 308, the fur ban measure, for total contributions from PAF to PAD of $444,282. Information in the SearchLight Denver system also includes that PAD has contributed a similar amount, $432,582, to Pax Fauna, a sister organization of PAF.”
The complaint also accuses the group of not fully disclosing its expenses by filtering the money through Pax Fauna.
“Instead of disclosing the vendors it has paid for various goods and services, the dates of payments, and the amount spent on each item, PAD simply discloses large, periodic payments to Pax Fauna with broad descriptions of the purpose of each payment, effectively concealing how campaign money is being spent.”
Finally, the complaint also alleges PAF has violated Denver election laws by failing to register as an issue committee, which is defined as any group that receives or spends more than $500 in any one election cycle.
“PAF has met this definition,” the complaint alleges. “PAF established a website (proanimal.org), which includes information about both Measures. The website invites viewers to volunteer to support both campaigns. … It invites viewers to donate to support the campaigns. … The website states that PAF was “incubated” by Pax Fauna, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. … The website states that PAF was “[s]eeded with funding from the Phauna Foundation as well as numerous small donations.” In September of 2023, the website touted “Slaughter-Free September!” and invited out-of-town supporters to travel to Denver to collect signatures to place the Measures on the Denver ballot, promising housing and ‘a travel stipend.’ ”
Black says PAF has violated the statute because once it “exceeded the thresholds … it was required to register as an issue committee within 10 days. Once it registered as an issue committee it was required to file monthly periodic reports and disclose its contributors and expenditures. To date, PAF has failed to comply with any of the ordinance’s requirements.
Opposition grows
But the campaign finance complaint is the least of PAD and PAF’s worries. More and more unlikely opponents to the ban are surfacing.
Most recently, the Central Committee of the Denver Democrat party endorsed a “no” position on the measure by a vote of 207-12.
During that meeting, Denver City Councilwoman Sarah Parady said fellow Democrats across rural Colorado will be paying close attention to the party’s position on the measure.
It “will greatly influence whether they feel listened to and respected by our city’s Democrat party,” Parady said. “This conversation impacts them too, and the workers at Superior Farms whose jobs are on the line, they had no role in shaping it, but their lives will be deeply impacted by the outcome.”
The “no” endorsement came after several other liberal organizations also came out against it, including the United Food and Commercial Workers Local (UFCW) 7, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 105, Denver Area Labor Federation (DALF), Denver Pipefitters Local #208, the Teamsters Union, and the Working Families Party.
After the vote, Wendy Howell, state director of the Colorado Working Families Party celebrated the decision.
It’s important that Democrats stand with workers,” she said. “Workers are the backbone of our economy, and the slaughterhouse being targeted by this unfair ban provides good wages and benefits to its worker-owners. I am glad that Denver Democrats recognize the importance of protecting these jobs by endorsing a ‘no’ vote today.”
According to the most recent reports available on the Denver Clerk website, the opposition committee, “Stop the Ban, Protect Jobs” has raised $740,000 from an array of donors including Superior Farms ($160,000), the American Sheep Industry Association ($80,000), the National Pork Producers Council ($50,000), the National Cattleman’s Beef Association ($40,000), Visit Denver ($25,000), the Colorado Livestock Association ($25,000), United Food & Commercial Workers International ($25,000), Conscience Bay Research, LLC ($25,000), Political Action Trust( $25,000), and the Colorado Livestock Association ($25,000).
Complete Colorado will continue to follow the story.
