Possible Chicken Litter Ban: One expert says that fertilizer is to blame for Oklahoma’s water woes

A nearly two-decade-old lawsuit in Oklahoma is drawing attention to the use of poultry litter as fertilizer.

In 2023, a district judge found poultry companies responsible for pollution in Oklahoma’s eastern waterways. The court is now considering measures to help combat that pollution.

A soil scientist with the Oklahoma Conservation Commission took to the stand and claimed that halting the land application of poultry waste is a necessary step to address the watershed issues.

He said that runoff from chicken litter fertilizer has led to elevated phosphorus levels, ultimately depleting oxygen, clouding water, and straining utility systems.

Poultry companies argue that increased transportation of litter out of the state has limited its impact.

Related Stories
Large Brazilian crops heighten downside price risk if the weather allows production to reach projected levels.
Ethanol and corn groups are not hiding their disappointment over new reports that the bill to allow year-round E15 sales failed as Congress forges ahead on government funding, with another shutdown looming.
While row crops are expected to see softer impacts, analysts say severe weather of this magnitude will not be as kind to cattle producers.
Dairy farmer and Discover Ag co-host Tara Vander Dussen joined us to discuss the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, her experience at the signing, and what’s next for her family and farm.
The Farm Bureau is making an urgent call to Congress for more farm support. Colton Lacina with Farmers National Company joined us to discuss farmland values and how market dynamics for the year ahead reflect stabilization rather than collapse.
Analysts say a Supreme Court decision on tariffs could reshape protein markets, strain U.S.-China trade, and force farmers to rethink global demand strategies.