September 23, 2010 Legal Defense Fund Benefit Dinner for Alan and Kristin Hudson
The Wicomico Young Farmers and Ranchers are pleased to be hosting a benefit dinner to provide much needed income to Worcester County, Maryland chicken growers and farmers Alan and Kristin Hudson to help with their legal defense fund. With the assistance of the taxpayer supported University of Maryland Environmental Law Clinic, the New York-based Waterkeeper Alliance has launched legal action against Mr. and Mrs. Hudson for alleged violations of the federal Clean Water Act. Unlike the New York-based Waterkeeper Alliance, no Maryland taxpayer-supported legal clinic is helping Mr. and Mrs. Hudson. To help them pay their enormous legal bills, the Wicomico Young Farmers and Ranchers have stepped forward to raise money.
Tickets are on sale for a Thursday, September 23 benefit dinner at the Watermen’s Seafood Restaurant, 12505 Ocean Gateway, Ocean City, Maryland (westbound U.S. Route 50 in West Ocean City).
There will be two seatings: one at 5:30 p.m. and the other at 7:30 p.m.
The cost is $16 per person for an all-you-can-eat fried chicken and steamed shrimp dinner.
Tickets are limited and are going fast. To reserve tickets, contact Mr. Lee Richardson at 410-430-2016.
Mr. and Mrs. Hudson face huge legal bills and the community is being asked to help them. The Wicomico Young Farmers and Ranchers are pleased to be part of this effort.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Without taking anything from the great economic benefit the poultry industry has given the Eastern Shore of Maryland, it is similar to the mining industries of years ago....before the advent of stricter laws regarding the waste products and disposal of chemicals, chicken farmers got rich without the worry about who gets hurt/damaged by the their actions. Waste and chemicals were dumped without incurring costs associated with proper disposal and those actions are STILL damaging our water supplies and environment... my point is this --- tell us the basis of the lawsuit---not just the fact they've been sued....its like asking for a contribution to "Joe Smith", without saying he's your friend and accused child molester. More facts please.
ReplyDeletehttp://chesapeakebay.umd.edu/newsbriefs/mde-fines-hudson-farm
ReplyDeletePerdue should be underwriting this lawsuit for the Hudsons afterall they have no problem donating to politcial candidates and parties.
ReplyDeletelol so we should help defend someone who pollutes our drinking water. No wonder the shore has some of the highest cancer rates(nitrates from chicken farms and unfiltered manure spread generously on farmland). Don't complain when your kid gets cancer then.
ReplyDeletePerdue and all big agribusiness' claim to be in equal partnership with their contract growers UNTIL it hits them financially.
ReplyDeleteWe need some competition down here like an independant chicken processing facility so farmers can have a choice and not be stuck with unfair one sided contracts.
Ok lets blame it all on the farmers and not give any consideration to heavily fertilized golf courses along our water ways or these McMansions with their lush lawns. Don't even try telling me they are in compliance with all environmental laws. I know for a fact the golf course down at Assateague was not in compliance with wetland laws. Every morning we'd go to work the barrier was moved back closer and closer to the water. Do you think those greens stay green without fertilizers?
ReplyDeleteNext time you sit down to a meal of your paper green money, contaminated with all sorts of bacteria, germs, cocaine and heroin let us all know how satisfying and tasty it is because you obviously don't know that your food comes from farms and not the grocery store shelves. Maybe we should stop selling food to tree huggers and let them fend for themselves.
11:28--- one doesn't have to be a "tree hugger" to want clean water...lol...and the FACTS (they are SO inconvenient, huh?) are that the wanton and unregulated disposal of chicken manure and associated chemicals used in the industry essentially poisoned the water table in this area for generations. People got rich doing it. Now, its a different story and some people ain't liking it too much. Guess who. As far as the golf courses and McMansion DEVELOPERS, they ain't poor people either....I guess it doesn't matter who's profits are being depleted, there's always some whining....if ya wanna produce food for a living, then don't kill us with the means of production....it reduces your customer base....lol
ReplyDeleteSo sounds like they dropped a pile of crap right beside of a drainage system (thanks for the link 10:50) which was a clear violation. Pay up, fix the mistake, and move on.
ReplyDeleteThey made the mess now clean it up!!
ReplyDeleteThe crap that was dropped was not chicken manure it was far worse, it was human waste.
ReplyDeleteIs that a Richardson from Willards Richardsons? If so that family is great. Always there to lend a hand.
ReplyDeleteThe above comment is absolutly correct in stating that not only are the farmers responsible for the waterways being polluted but so are developers etc. What I would like to see is everyone stop passing the blame, admit everyone is at fault and then get down to the business of cleaning it up.
ReplyDeleteWon't ever happen with Perdue and their ever chanting they will leave MD. Personally I say good riddance. Their chickens aren't fit to feed to a dog.
Since the city of Ocean City dumped it there, why not sue them?
ReplyDeleteSurprising that Coast Keeper Kathy Phillips has not commented on this yet, but maybe shes too busy "helping" Worcester County farmer Virgil Shockley.
ReplyDeleteI understand that it was treated dried human waste sludge and usable as fertilizer, and safe for it to be there.
ReplyDeleteFACT-It was treated sludge from Ocean City. Ocean City has so far managed to dodge the bullet of their complicity in this issue. File a PIA request to get the water test reports that MDE did. You will probably be surprised at what or did not show up.
ReplyDeleteAs far as pollution, I agree with whoever said let's look at other non-point sources of pollution.
Fact: No. 1 What the Hudson's piled up was a product produced by the Ocean City Sewer plant. Not Chicken Manure. The restrictions to use this product are must less then chicken manure.
ReplyDeleteNo.2. The Hudson's made a mistake, which they corrected with in 4 days after being notified they were in violation.
No 3. IF MDE had charged the Hudson's with in 60 days of the Violation, Waterkeepers would not have any merit to the Suit.
Seems strange that MDE waited that long. Did MDE do that so Waterkeepers could file this suit?
Who is the Assistant Attorney General that was from Berlin?
The Hudson's made a mistake, they are fined by MDE, they should not be driven into Bankruptacy by the Waterkeepers Alliance.
All the Farmers and Landowners should help support the Hudson's with this suit.
Alan Hudson is one of the most honest, hardworking people I have ever met, so I find it completely absurd that he would intentionally do anything to purposefully pollute a waterway. The sludge received from Ocean City was stored in precisely the manner instructed by the Waste Water Plant and water testing done in the adjacent ditch showed NO contamination. My suggestion to some of the earlier "commentors" is to examine all sides of a situation before passing judgement on people or something that you know NOTHING about.
ReplyDeleteI have known Alan Hudson for along time he is one honest man he would give you the shirt off of his back to help you out.Kathy Phillips how do you lay your head down and sleep maybe you should get a real job and let the farmers do theirs.Who knows what goes around comes around you might end up with Atlantic City in your backyard when theres no more farming in Worcester County.
ReplyDelete