Oklahoma Reaches Settlement With Poultry Company Over Litter Pollution

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced the State of Oklahoma has reached a settlement agreement with George’s, Inc., resolving claims related to poultry litter pollution in the Illinois River Watershed.

“This settlement demonstrates that fair, good-faith negotiations can produce outcomes that serve everyone’s interests—protecting Oklahoma’s water resources while respecting the economic realities facing our agricultural partners,” Drummond said.

Details of the settlement include:

• George’s agrees to pay $5 million to the State for remediation and conservation projects and attorney fees;
• George’s commits to removing poultry litter from the Illinois River Watershed over seven years, progressively reducing the amount remaining from no more than 40% to no more than 20%;
• George’s pays $250,000 for a Special Master to monitor compliance;
• George’s agrees that litter removed from the Illinois River Watershed will not be applied to land in any other nutrient-sensitive watersheds in Oklahoma;

The settlement with George’s does not affect ongoing proceedings involving the other defendants: Tyson, Cobb Vantress, Cargill, Simmons, Peterson Farms and Cal-Maine.