A broad coalition of environmental groups is banding together during the 2016 Maryland General Assembly to support legislation requiring poultry companies to take responsibility for the manure their chickens produce. Excess manure can saturate farm fields and pollute local creeks, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay if not handled properly. The legislation will seek to protect Maryland farmers and taxpayers from costs that should be borne by the large poultry companies.
“I am pleased to be sponsoring the Poultry Litter Act this year,” said Senator Richard Madeleno (District 18). “We must come together to address the pollution issues in the Chesapeake Bay. This bill is about fairness and making sure that everyone does their part to mitigate pollution into our state’s iconic natural treasure.”
Legislation set to be introduced in the coming days will require poultry companies to remove and properly dispose of all poultry litter for which a chicken grower does not have state-approved plans.
“A responsible dog owner picks up after his or her dogs. Poultry companies must be responsible for cleaning up after their chickens,” said Alison Prost, Maryland Executive Director, Chesapeake Bay Foundation. “The big companies own the birds, and control almost all aspects of the chicken production process, but they bear no responsibility for any manure left behind. Ensuring the excess manure is managed properly will help improve the quality of the Bay and the eastern shore rivers. ”
“For far too long, massive corporations like Perdue have raked in profits by forcing farmers, residents and the Chesapeake Bay to bear the burden of pollution from millions of pounds of excess chicken waste each year. The Poultry Litter Management Act would help shift responsibility for the number one source of water pollution in Maryland back where it belongs — onto the big chicken companies,” said Michele Merkel, Co-director, Food & Water Justice. “Food & Water Watch is proud to stand with the bill’s sponsors and a growing coalition of organizations and residents in support of the Poultry Litter Management Act.”
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8 comments:
Yet there's never mention of concern for all the raw human waste spilled from many wastewater treatment plants multiple times a year....imagine that!! These so called groups are actually progressives....out to further destroy MD's economy!!
"Ensuring the excess manure is managed properly will help improve the quality of the Bay and the eastern shore rivers. ”
This is a chickenship argument for yet another tax! So far, the same group has never come up with a plan on what to do with the manure and dead chickens that will not pollute, nor a cost of that plan! So how much are they going to charge the Poultry Plants for doing what? And then they'll fine them for polluting, too!
They just want to put the responsibility on bigger pockets, is all. That way they can go after more money.
This has NOTHING to do with the Chesapeake Bay!
The wacko environmentalists would have us all walking, no driving, eating bird food and living in caves-- my answer to them is let them eat cake!
Another left wing kook group trying to kill another industry and kill jobs.
Good idea. Make the cake out of excess chicken poop.
Funny thing is, only on the Shore is this even a conversation topic.
keep gouging the largest empoyer on the eastern shore in the back and watch them relocate to other states do you really think would have operations in other states if it wasn't profitable for them run them out of state and watch the unemployment and foreclosures escalate keep bitching people you will see a real recession on the shore and no,i don't have any connections to the poultry industry
Good, finely someone looking out for the people and the environment. Tax the hell out of the polluters!
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