RANDALIA, Iowa — A northeast Iowa farmer pleaded not guilty to neglect charges on Monday after more than 3,000 feeder hogs died on his property.

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Derek David Smith, 41, of Randalia, filed a written not guilty plea to one count of livestock neglect, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reported.

According to court documents obtained by KCRG-TV, Smith “failed to provide livestock with care consistent with customary animal husbandry practices, deprived livestock with necessary sustenance, or injured/destroyed livestock causing pain or suffering inconsistent with customary animal husbandry practices which resulted in serious injury or the death of livestock.”

Court records indicate Smith was hired by Valley Farms to care for the hogs, the Courier reported. Authorities found the dead hogs on Smith’s fame on June 2, and authorities determined the animals died from a lack of feed, according to the newspaper.

Another 200 hogs had to be euthanized for health reasons, court records show.

If convicted, Smith could be sentenced to a year in prison and a $2,560 fine, according to the Courier.

His trial is tentatively set for August in Fayette County District Court, the newspaper reported.

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