The documentary program “Poisoned Waters” appeared on Maryland Public Television last night and can be viewed on-line at the website of the FRONTLINE show (pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline). It is being described by some as a frontal attack on the poultry industry on the Eastern Shore and the Perdue firm in particular. Here are two reviewers’ comments:
*****
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/20/AR2009042003737.html David Fahrenthold, The Washington Post
... Smith ... uses visual imagery to arresting effect. ... And the film also provides several moments of crackling journalism. Smith takes on the Eastern Shore’s chicken industry and prods its representatives into the kind of verbal evasions that would twinkle a tobacco industry scientist’s eye. ...
www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2009/04/review-poisoned-waters-PBS-frontline
Steve Aquino, Mother Jones
... Narrator Hedrick Smith shows us the first striking snapshot of aquatic pollution when he joins one environmental activist on a flyover of a Purdue chicken farm in Maryland. ... Poisoned Waters is filled with those types of images: Frogs with six legs, once-male bass in West Virginia rivers that have morphed into females, and an underwater waste pipe spewing a constant noxious cloud of brown goop into Puget Sound. ...
*****
Besides the obligatory appearance of our local “expert” (on everything) Tom Horton, the program features an interview of Jim Perdue by the senior producer and narrator, Hedrick Smith. In a tough interview by a skilled questioner Mr. Perdue more than holds his ground. Here is an excerpt:
SMITH ... Critics say that agriculture, specifically the chicken industry, is the primary source of pollution in the bay and that if large integrators like Purdue were to be responsible for the waste, it might be better cleaned up. [What's your] point of view on that criticism or argument? ...
PERDUE The farmer puts the litter on his land, and that's a nutrient management plan, and we're not involved in that, you know? If he puts chemical on his land, he's responsible for what he does with his chemical fertilizer. ...
The entire Hedrick Smith – Jim Perdue interview is available online at www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/poisonedwaters/interviews/perdue.html#4 www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/poisonedwaters/interviews/perdue.html#4
This show was a news item locally last summer, when a farmer contacted the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office because he thought that Hedrick Smith and a production crew were trespassing on private property.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
13 comments:
I think Perdue, Tyson, and others should be forced to handle the chicken waste, not the chicken farmer.
There is always room for improvement. The Perdue plant in Salisbury was made famous for
discharging into the Wicomico.
This may have been during the clean-up operation or when we
had lots of rain. According to
lic. wastewater operator , it
did happen. They also were and maybe still injecting waste into the ground as common practice.
This fragile land on the eastern shore can only take so much abuse.
The Perdue plant at old ocean city road an zion church has been in violation with the clean air act for years. It actually rains
pieces of shell from soybeans
when they are processing. They have been notified many times and they thought it was funny.
Oh well , who gives a crap anymore.
This show was barely covered in the Daily Slime.
I watched it last night. Scary and depressing.
The enviro-nazis will not be happy until the poultry industry is wiped out of Maryland.
I'm all for protecting our bay, but the farmers are not the only factor in the bay's downfall. They are just the easiest to blame.
Joe,
Its critical that this issue be connected to the 'downzoning' issue. The same folks that rail against agricultural preservation are the ones who decry environmentalists who blame farmers for the degradation of the Bay. Here's the scoop: you can't have it both ways. The fact is that the more we sprawl, and the more we build poorly in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the more farmland we lose and the more we pollute the Bay. You know why? And here's where I disagree most vehemently with most environmentalists... They're right that ON THE EASTERN SHORE the #1 contributor in each tributary of nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment is agriculture. But that represents only 60+% of the 25% of TOTAL pollution that comes from Eastern Shore tributaries. Guess where the other 75% comes from? 4 rivers. The James, the Patapsco, the Susquehanna, and the Potomac. Point-source pollution and urban runoff are the problem. Want it to get worse? Let's keep railing against ag preservation and let the sprawl continue! If not, let's have farmers do their part, towns and cities do their part, and suburban residents do their part (that's where the real burden lies).
I stopped reading the article after I figured out this nutjob couldn't figure out it's PERDUE.
PERDUE "The farmer puts the litter on his land, and that's a nutrient management plan, and we're not involved in that, you know? If he puts chemical on his land, he's responsible for what he does with his chemical fertilizer". Way to throw your growers under the bus Jim. Without your contract growers, who you constantly keep in debt, you wouldn't have a business. why don't you take responsibility for the by-products your chickens produce? The chickens remain your property and so should the by-products.
I think Jim not only did a great job, but I'm really impressed with his overall knowledge on the Bay. We need to consult with him on more issues. I wonder what he thinks on 2009-5?
Saving the environment is great, but so is being able to feed your family because you have a decent job.
I applaud Jim Perdue for keeping so many people on the Eastern Shore employed. He has my respect.
I also thought Jim Perdue's comment kind of threw the contract grower under the bus. The poultry companies like to point out that the farmer, not the poultry company, is "growing" the chickens. But that's kind of like a builder saying that his subcontractors are the ones creating waste because it's not his employees doing the work. Bottomline is that the farmer is a critical piece of the poultry production mechanism. The poultry companies should be accountable for the entire life cycle of the chicken, from the breeder hens to the poultry case in the grocery store.
Now on the issue of poultry farms being responsible for the polluted Bay....look it's obvious that farms create runoff. Even with a nutrient management system some nutrients are bound to creep into the Bay.
But think about this...
The Chesapeake Bay Watershed (the area of land that ultimately drains into the Bay) is huge. The Eastern Shore represents about 6% to 7% of the Chesapeake Bay basin. In addition, we represent 2% of the population.
Ever drive to the Western Shore? Nothing against our friends across the pond, but there are a hell of alot more lawns being fertilized, factories discharging poluttants and city pavement discharging petroleum runoff from cars....not to mention a few cities whose sewer treatment skills aren't much better than our own. For every home on the Eastern Shore there are 50 more across the Bay in the watershed contributing waste.
Excuse me, whose to blame again? Can you say that a little louder because I thought I heard a crazy person talking.
So you go ahead and pick on the farmer. As long as you let him, he'll keep working hard (and not all farmers are wealthy) to put food on America's tables. But remember the next time you fertizlize your lawn you are no better, in fact, your worse because the farmer is forced to use a nutrient management system, you are exempt.
I live in a subdivision of single family homes outside of Salisbury. Before the homes were here it was a farm. Hands down, there are more nutrients and chemicals being applied to this land than ever before.
Chew on that.
Thank you 8:03. Ever thought about running for office?
What is the difference in chemical nitrogen vs poultry manure nitrogen? Isn't the city of Salisbury a much larger polluter of the Wicomico than Perdue and all corporations combined without federal penalty?
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