North of the intersection of Colorado’s two major Interstate highways, among other industrial uses, is one of the nation’s largest lamb processors, which has done business since the 1950s. It ships lamb not only to most Colorado restaurants and grocery stores but to many out-of-state customers as well,

But it appears that Superior Farms is the target of a ballot measure seeking to shut down or at least relocate the 70-year-old employee company. Because that could not happen without fully compensating Superior’s owners, the ballot measure would cost Denver taxpayers upwards of $70 million, according to estimates.

Signatures on the “Prohibition of Slaughterhouses” initiative were filled earlier this week with the City and County of Denver Clerk & Recorder; that office has the job of determining if 8,940 valid signatures were submitted to qualify for Denver’s April 2024 municipal election ballot.

If adopted by voters, the ballot measure will ban any business wher livestock are killed to produce human food. Livestock under Colorado law includes beef, lamb, pork, and poultry.

Influential and deep-pocket animal activists’ interests are behind the measure to kill the Denver lamb business.  Po-Animal Future, which wants to “end animal farming in Colorado,” and Owen Gunden, which advocates for “non-humans,” have put up $100,000 in start-up contributions..

Assuming it does make the ballot, the “Protect Jobs, Protect Choice” committee will oppose the slaughterhouse-killing initiative. It has not reported any contributions.