Delmarva’s Poultry Industry and Environmental Protection Bill Satterfield Executive Director Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc. November 1, 2007

Delmarva’s Poultry Industry andEnvironmental Protection

Bill Satterfield

Executive Director

Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc.

November 1, 2007

It’s Not Necessarily Us!

Total Nutrient Sources

Source: EPA (September 2007)

Delmarva Peninsula

Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Poultry and the Bay

The land area of the Delmarva Peninsula counties with broiler chicken production

accounts for just 7.7% of the total Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Data

Monitoring Nutrients

“Collectively, the Susquehanna, the Potomac, and the James Rivers

contributed 95% of the annual Nitrogen load and about 87% of the annual

Phosphorus load from the nine major rivers draining to Chesapeake Bay....”

Source: USGS (November 1999)

Monitoring Nutrients

“The Choptank River is the largest river on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, but contributes less than 1 percent of the streamflow, the

total nitrogen load, and the total phosphorus load delivered annually from the nontidal part of the Chesapeake Bay

Basin.”


Bay Contribution by River

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Susquehanna Potomac James Rappahannock Appomattox Pamunkey Mattaponi Patuxent Choptank

Flow N P


Maryland Agriculture

Maryland agriculture accounts for just 5% of the land use in the Chesapeake Bay

watershed and contributes only 7.75% of the total N load

Source: CBF Correspondence (June 2006)

Keep Things In Perspective

Maryland’s Contribution to Total Load Entering Chesapeake Bay in 2004

Source: Maryland Department of Legislative Services (2007)

Pollution Control Summary

Source: EPA-Chesapeake Bay Program (April 2007)

Agricultural Goals – Moving in the right

direction!


Urban/Suburban Goals – Progress is not being

made!


The Problem with Population Growth

“The rapid rate of population growth and related residential and commercial

development has made this pollution sector the only one in the Bay watershed to still be growing, and thus ‘progress’ is

negative.”

Source: EPA

Urban/Suburban Goals – Progress is not being

made!


The Real Problem

“Increasing human populations and the associated land-use changes continue to

be the primary factors causing water quality and habitat degradation in the Bay

and its watershed.”

Source: USGS

Why Depend Upon Agriculture?

“In part because they are so cost-effective, the Bay Jurisdictions are relying on future reductions from agricultural lands for more

than half of the remaining nutrient reductions needed to meet restoration

goals”

EPA-Chesapeake Bay Program (April 2007)

Bay Watershed Population

8.1

9.6

11.712.6

13.514.5

15.015.7

16.6

17.418.7

19.8

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

14.0

16.0

18.0

20.0

1950 1960 19701980 1985 1990 19952000 2005 20102020 2030

Human Population in Millions

Source: EPA-Chesapeake Bay Program

Population Trends vs.Poultry on Delmarva

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

14.0

16.0

18.0

1950 1960 1970 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005

Hu

ma

n P

op

ula

tio

n in

Ba

y W

ate

rsh

ed

(m

illio

ns)

0.0

100.0

200.0

300.0

400.0

500.0

600.0

700.0

Ch

ick

en

Po

pu

latio

n o

n D

elm

arv

a

(millio

ns)

Human Population Chicken Population on Delmarva

Population Trends vs.Poultry in Maryland

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

14.0

16.0

18.0

1950 1960 1970 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005

Hu

ma

n P

op

ula

tio

n in

Ba

y W

ate

rsh

ed

(m

illio

ns)

0.0

100.0

200.0

300.0

400.0

500.0

600.0

700.0

Ch

ick

en

Po

pu

latio

n in

Ma

ryla

nd

(m

illion

s)

Human Population in Bay Watershed Chicken Population on Delmarva Chicken Population in Maryland

Agricultural land contributes 20 to 25% less nitrogen than developed land.

Bob SummersDeputy Secretary, Maryland Department of the Environment

(May 2007)

Agriculture vs. Development

“Among the major land use categories, urban and suburban lands contribute, per acre, the largest amount of nutrients to the

Bay when septic and wastewater treatment plant discharges are factored in.

Runoff from farms is generally declining….”


Farm Runoff Declining

Bay Journal, January 2007

Eastern Shore Contributions to

Chesapeake Bay N & P

Non-PointN

Point N Non-PointP

Point P

-70%

-60%

-50%

-40%

-30%

-20%

-10%

0%

10%

Percent change since 1985

Source: Bay Journal (January 2007)

Eastern Shore Improving

None of the other watersheds; Susquehanna, Potomac, James, Western

Shore, Rappahannock, York, and Patuxent, had as high a Nitrogen non-point source decline and Phosphorous

non-point source decline as did Delmarva.

Source: Bay Journal (January 2007)

Development Growth

“From 1985 to 2005, EPA estimated loads from developed land sources increased up

to 16% while loads from wastewater disposal and agriculture decreased.”


Development Growth

“New development is increasing nutrient and sediment loads at rates faster than

restoration efforts are reducing them.”


Development Growth

“Little progress has been reported in reaching nutrient and sediment load

reduction goals from developed lands.”


Development Growth

“…impervious surfaces in the Bay watershed grew significantly, by 41%, in

the 1990s.”


Poultry House Capacity

Delmarva poultry house capacity grew by only 35% in the 1990s and is only slightly

higher now than in 1999.

Source: Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc.

Sewer Overflow

According to the Maryland Department of the Environment website:

Combined sewer overflow = 166 million gallons Sanitary sewer overflow = 24 million gallons Bypasses = 17 million gallons

During the last 8 months 207 million gallons of wastewater and human waste made its way into Maryland waters!!!!

Restoration Progress


So, what have we been doing?

Delmarva Poultry Industry Accomplishments

Nutrient Management Plans

Eastern Shore chicken industry has more comprehensive rules than most farmers in the Bay watershed.

Thousands of Pennsylvania and Virginia farms are not required to have nutrient management plans.

Only Eastern Shore counties are 100% compliant


Improved Feed Conversion

More feed used by the birds and less excreted.

Birds make better use of the feed to produce meat.

What’s Not Added to Chicken Feed...

No hormones are ever added to commercial chicken feed

It has been illegal to feed hormones to chickens since the 1950s!


Improved Feed Conversion

More feed used by the birds and less excreted.

Birds make better use of the feed to produce meat.

7.6% improvement in feed conversion since 1998.


Fewer Nutrients Excreted

‘Between 1959 and 2001, 75% reduction in N and P excreted from broiler chickens (grams of nutrients

per kg. of live weight broilers).’

-Dr. R. Angel, University of Maryland (2007)


Phytase

Allows birds to better use P already present in the diet so less is excreted.

P levels in excreta has been reduced by approximately 30% in recent years.

Research continues on phytase in combination with other products for further reductions.


Litter Transport

Poultry companies have voluntarily contributed more than $2 million to this effort since 1999.

More than 252,000 tons of Maryland poultry litter have been transported since 2000.

Delaware’s program has moved more than 350,000 tons since 2001.

Poultry Litter in Context

Poultry Litter Analysis

Nitrogen = ~4-5% of the litter

Phosphorus = ~2-3% of the litter

Organic Material in litter can improve nutrient and water-holding capacity of light, sandy soils common on Delmarva.


Perdue AgriRecycle

Perdue AgriRecycle accepts chicken manure from all companies’ growers without charge.

Much of this manure has been transported out of the local watersheds as a pasteurized organic fertilizer.

Fertilizer has received certification by the National Organic Standards Board.


Perdue AgriRecycle

Largest litter recycling operation in the world

Since 2003, 195,800 tons of litter removed from Delmarva watersheds

8.1 million lbs. of N4.5 million lbs. of P6.7 million lbs. of K


Perdue AgriRecycle

44,000 tons of finished product sold in FY 2007

31,000 of these tons sold outside of Chesapeake Bay watershed states


Alternative Uses of Manure

Coal mine reclamation

Burning to produce energy

Attorney General Gansler

“We have a site. We have a plan.”

Baltimore ExaminerOctober 18, 2007


Unsuccessful Manure Burning Efforts

Previous attempts have met with defeat:

Allen’s processing plant in Hurlock, Maryland. Allen’s prohibited protein conversion plant at Linkwood, Maryland. Tyson’s effort on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

Delaware’s ban on large-scale manure burning units.


Vegetative Environmental Buffers

Voluntary, first of its kind project.

Joint funding by local poultry companies, DPI, USDA/NRCS, and NFWF.

Designed to improve air and water quality, including the reduction of ammonia emissions.


Cost-Share Programs

Poultry growers have been active users of federal and state cost-share programs for environmental practices.

Industry personnel have worked with funding agencies to design and publicize these programs.


Energy Efficiency

Proper maintenance and cleaning of equipment helps reduce energy consumption.

Less energy consumption means less pollution.

The poultry industry continues to promote proper equipment management.


Energy Efficiency

The University of Delaware has undertaken solar power research at an Allen’s Hatchery, Inc. farm.

Growers are switching to lower energy light bulbs.

Houses are constructed or retrofitted with solid sidewalls and that helps reduce propane use.


Company Assistance to Growers

On-farm environmental audits and technical assistance on environmental stewardship.

Recent collaboration with NRCS to help identify and address environmental weaknesses on farms.


Research Projects

DPI and local poultry companies spent over $326,000 for research from 1998 to 2000.

In addition, poultry companies have funded their own research projects independent of DPI.


Research Projects

University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) has initiated a “chicken house of the future” concept.

First full flock on an innovative plastic floor will be placed next year.


In-House Litter Composting

Recycling and treating used litter through a “biological heating” process.

Re-conditioned litter provides more flexibility on cleanouts and reduces the need for new bedding material.

One area company has already adopted this practice.


Preservation of Working Farms

Farmland remains thanks to the chicken industry.

The facts show that farmland generates fewer nutrients per acre than developed land.

According to a recent 1,000 Friends of Maryland study, the public is concerned about the rapid loss of farmland.


Industrial Strength Permits to Operate

Maryland law already requires nutrient management planning and compliance under the Water Quality Improvement Act of 1998.

What benefit is there from a duplicate program?

How can Maryland afford an additional program?

The Under Utilized Oyster

Thrives on algae.

A proven water cleanser.

Summary

Delmarva Peninsula poultry production is a minor contributor to Bay nutrients.

Increase of human population in the Bay watershed and development of farmland are offsetting progress in achievement of goals.

The agricultural community, including the poultry industry, has made significant strides in environmental protection.

Summary

Research into innovative, efficient, and cost-effective practices continues.

The poultry industry has proven and will continue to demonstrate our commitment toward soil and water stewardship.

However, poultry people are concerned that they will be asked to make disproportionate sacrifices to help with water quality improvements.

A Point of Agreement

“Population growth and related sprawl development will have to be much

better controlled…”

Gerald WinegradBay Journal (September 2007)

It’s Not Just Agriculture!

Poultry and agriculture have been very aggressive on environmental issues in recent years.

If others in the 64,000 square mile Chesapeake Bay

watershed had been as proactive on environmental

issue in recent years, things would not remain as

challenging as they are and we would not

need to be here today!

Thank You!

Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc.16686 County Seat Highway

Georgetown, Delaware 19947

(302) 856-9037

Arsenic

Less used now than in previous years.

A study by the University of Delaware indicates no problems.

Antibiotics

Less used now than in previous years.

Used to keep birds healthy.

Endocrine Disruptors

A recent University of Maryland study shows no connection between litter applied to land and sex changes in fish.

Documents

Delmarva’s Poultry Industry and Environmental Protection Bill Satterfield Executive Director Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc. November 1, 2007