Oklahoma begins taking samples from poultry farms

By Teddye Snell, Press Staff Writer

Oklahoma has begun taking samples from poultry farms in eastern Oklahoma as part of its water pollution lawsuit against Arkansas poultry companies, a spokesman for Attorney General Drew Edmondson said Tuesday.

The sampling, which the companies sought to prevent, began Monday on farms in Oklahoma, spokesman Charlie Price said. A federal magistrate gave the state permission in May to take samples of soil, water, waste and runoff from about a dozen farms, many of which raise chickens for the companies.

“We’ll proceed under the judge’s order until we’re finished,” said Price, adding that he was not free to discuss exactly where or when sampling was taking place.

Bev Saunders, spokeswoman for Poultry Partners, a group of 400 farmers, said resistance by farmers targeted for testing was unlikely.

“We don’t agree with this,” she said, “but we do abide by the law.”

Saunders’ farm is one of those selected for sampling, but she said she had not received the required 72 hours’ minimum advance notice from the state. She said any sampling there would likely take place in July, when the birds she raises will be taken from their houses.

Saunders has been working diligently with the Illinois River Watershed Partnership a consortium of poultry producers, environmentalists and municipal leaders in Eastern Oklahoma and Northwest Arkansas to find solutions.

“The goal of the partnership is for all groups to come together and work together to find a solution to keeping the water clean,” said Saunders. “We have members of the Sierra Club, poultry producers, farmers, municipal waste water folks and environmental attorneys all coming to the table to work on finding the total sources of pollution to the watershed.”

According to Saunders, the first step in that process is to educate the public about points of pollution.

“People don’t understand that every time they run down and buy a bag of fertilizer and put it on their lawn, they too can contribute to the pollution,” said Saunders. “With the high levels of development in Eastern Oklahoma and Northwest Arkanas, people are moving closer and closer to the watershed, and may not know they’re contributing to the problem.”

Saunders stressed she’s not pointing fingers at any one source of pollution, but wants everyone to know how many different sources watershed pollution has.

The state wants the samples to measure the effect poultry waste has on Oklahoma’s waterways when it leaches from fields where it is applied as fertilizer. Edmondson sued 14 Arkansas poultry companies last year, alleging their operations polluted the Illinois River watershed and Lake Tenkiller.

In ruling that the state could take samples, Magistrate Sam Joyner established procedures for Oklahoma’s representatives, including providing notice and limiting the number of samples per property.

Get involved

The next regular meeting of the Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission will be held at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 20, at OSRC Headquarters on Scenic State Highway 10.