Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond renews his call for a poultry litter settlement following a sweeping court order requiring company cleean up.

 

A federal court judgment recently held five major poultry companies responsible for phosphorus pollution in the Illinois River Watershed. The order carries major consequences for the industry and underscores the need for negotiations. The ruling requires the companies Tyson, Cargill, George’s, Simmons and Cal-Maine to fund decades of cleanup under oversight of a court-appointed special master, imposes strict limits on poultry waste application, and holds the defendants jointly liable for remediation, monitoring and related costs, including a $10 million evergreen fund and $350,000 in penalties. Drummond emphasized that a strong poultry industry and clean water must coexist, urging the companies to choose negotiation over years of costly litigation.

 

Drummond also noted that a settlement could ensure watershed cleanup while providing flexibility, certainty and continued support for Oklahoma farmers.