September 26, 2024

 

Environmental group urges moratorium on new poultry farm permits in Maryland, US

An environmental group is urging Wes Moore, Governor of Maryland, US, to halt new permits for factory poultry farms in Maryland, citing concerns that waste from the Eastern Shore's poultry industry poses a threat to public health and the Chesapeake Bay, WBOC reported.

 

The group, Food & Water Watch (FWW), has released an interactive map, based on the USDA 2022 Census of Agriculture, which it says illustrates the concentration of broiler chicken farms across the United States. The map highlights Delmarva as a key area of concentration for these farms.

 

According to FWW, the concentration of farms generated 548 million pounds of poultry litter waste in 2022. This waste, which includes chicken manure, bedding, and feed, contains high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, which FWW claims have significant environmental impacts on the Chesapeake Bay.

 

Holly Porter, executive director of the Delmarva Chicken Association (DCA), responded to these claims by defending poultry litter as a valuable organic fertiliser used on local family farms to grow the grain that feeds chickens.

 

However, FWW argues that overuse of poultry litter as fertiliser leads to nutrient contamination in groundwater, which ultimately affects drinking water sources. Jorge Aguilar, FWW Southern Region Director, stated that Maryland's land capacity to absorb this waste has been exhausted due to decades of land application. He added that the runoff from this waste pollutes waterways and the Chesapeake Bay.

 

In response, FWW is advocating for a moratorium on permits for new industrial poultry farms in Maryland, as well as the expansion of existing farms. This call for action comes as Maryland begins its five-year review of the water quality permits that chicken farms must comply with.

 

"We're calling on Governor Moore to enact a moratorium on any new permits for these factory farms," said Aguilar. "Governor Moore has an opportunity to address the ongoing degradation of the Chesapeake Bay caused by runoff from these poultry farms. He must fix the state agencies' inspection and monitoring systems that have failed to prevent factory farm waste from polluting our water and air."

 

The Delmarva Chicken Association, which advocates for the poultry industry on the Peninsula, disputes FWW's claims. The association issued a statement saying, "Today's chicken farmers are already safeguarding the Chesapeake Bay and investing in conservation to maintain that progress."

 

Porter emphasised that chicken farmers are highly regulated and operate under strict "no discharge" permits, which are designed to prevent nutrients from leaving the farms. She explained that stormwater management plans, which include swales around chicken houses and forebays, ensure that no discharges leave the farms.

 

The DCA also cited research indicating that the poultry industry has reduced its nutrient impact on the Chesapeake Bay watershed, with progress being evident for years. The association referenced recent Bay report cards as evidence of this improvement and argued that increased development on Delmarva is also contributing to nutrient pollution.

 

Additionally, the DCA warned of significant economic consequences if a moratorium is implemented. The association claimed that the move would bankrupt hundreds of farms, destroy thousands of jobs, and lead to higher chicken prices and scarcity in grocery stores. Porter stated, "It would shut down our chicken community and the family farms that raise the food on our plates. You can't ask for a worse impact."

 

FWW hopes for a decision on the proposed moratorium from Governor Moore by the summer of 2025.

 

-      WBOC