Arkansas Poultry Farmers Feel Threat Over Water Issue LINCOLN, AR (KOSU) - Poultry farmers in northwest Arkansas are worried they'll be driven out of business because of a lawsuit by the state of Oklahoma over water quality issues.
Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson is suing 14 Arkansas poultry companies, accusing them of polluting Oklahoma waters with waste from millions of chickens and turkeys.
Edmondson says phosphorous from chicken litter causes algae growth that pollutes rivers and streams, depletes oxygen and can kill certain kinds of fish. The lawsuit seeks money to clean up the Illinois River.
Poultry farmer Gene Pharr says he's worried that chicken droppings could be put on par with industrial solvents, pesticide remnants and old car batteries. Pharr say he's worried the regulations will drive the poultry industry out of northwest Arkansas.
The lawsuit says Arkansas has 2,363 chicken houses in the Illinois River watershed while Oklahoma has 508. Edmondson says the chickens add phosphorus waste equivalent to 10.7 million people per year.
Poultry companies say Edmondson is ignoring phosphorus added to the water by a growing population. But, while the region is rapidly expanding, it still has well fewer than one million people. © Copyright 2009, KOSU