Hot News

1.15.2008

By STEPHANIE JORDAN
Associate Editor

GEORGETOWN, Del. — The appearance of poultry farms is something every grower should try to improve, said experts during last week’s poultry nutrient management session, which was held as part of Delaware Ag Week.
Growers should try to keep their farms as neat as possible, to help them stay on the good side of their neighbors and to avoid fines by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Gary Van Wicklen, Extension poultry engineer for the University of Delaware, said appearance will grow increasingly important as there is more urban encroachment on the Delmarva Peninsula.
He said a lot of new neighbors do not understand agriculture or even where their food comes from.
Van Wicklen offers these tips to develop and maintain a good relationship with your neighbors — establish communication; remain calm and civil; be patient and listen to their side; put yourself in their position; and take the high road.
The bottom line is to try and avoid a lawsuit from your neighbors.
“Nobody wins when you go to court,” he said.
Van Wicklen also recommends inviting neighbors over at an appropriate time for a tour, and put new houses on a minimum of 10 acres and meet or exceed set-back requirements.
Keeping neat farms also will help with the EPA, especially since the agency has conducted several on-farm inspections in both Delaware and Maryland in the past year, according to Bill Rohrer, administrator of the Delaware Nutrient Management Program.
And now that the Waterkeeper Alliance has established a presence on the peninsula, as a result of the Eastern Shore Poultry Summit held back in November, “we need to take them seriously,” he added.
Rohrer said the commission has been working to identify farms with substandard litter/manure handling over the past few months.
So far, they have identified 88 farms that could improve their practices.
During the EPA inspections, Rohrer said the agency looked for the existence of Best Management Practices and housekeeping, particularly around environmentally sensitive areas.
“Perception is everything,” said Jeff Smith, a corporate environmental engineer at Perdue Farms. “We really need to be above and beyond when it comes to the appearance of the farm.”
During the nutrient management session, Dan Bautista, veterinarian at the University of Delaware’s Lasher Poultry Diagnostic Lab, spoke about the laryngotracheitis (LT) outbreak on the peninsula.
He warned growers to adhere to biosecurity practices — limiting visitors, staying away from other farms, sanitizing equipment and wearing biosecurity gear.
Bud Malone, poultry research coordinator for the University of Delaware, told growers about the possibilities of in-house composting and its potential to reduce pathogens, improve bird health and extend the life of litter. In-house composting, or windrows, is receiving more attention because the peninsula has lost about 75 percent of its bedding materials over the last five years.
There are several pieces of equipment that can be used to perform the in-house composting. A blade on the back of a tractor, a skid-steer loader or an aerator could be used for the process.
“I’ll be the first to admit there is a learning curve here,” Malone said. But, he added, the growers who are able to do this will see production benefits.
Jennifer Timmons, Extension poultry specialist for the University of Maryland, discussed litter amendments and their importance in suppressing ammonia.
The duration of ammonia control depends on the product (sodium bisulfate, aluminum sulfate or acidified clay), rate/method of application, ventilation, humidity and litter moisture/pH.
The Delaware Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offers growers a poultry litter amendment incentive for both broilers and roasters through its Environmental Quality Incentives Program. For more information on this program, call the the Delaware NRCS office at 302-678-4160.