Arkansas poultry farmers organize in face of Oklahoma AG's threat

Sunday, April 3rd 2005, 6:07 pm

By: News On 6

SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. (AP) _ Arkansas poultry growers are organizing to ensure they can fight back against Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson's campaign to clean up polluted rivers.

Edmondson last month filed a 90-day notice of intent to sue poultry companies over poultry litter pollution in eastern Oklahoma.

On Thursday, more than 400 farmers attended a meeting to talk about the possible lawsuit.

A 2001 suit by the city of Tulsa resulted in a seven-point-five (m) million dollar out-of-court settlement paid by poultry companies. Those at the meeting discussed that case, some of them saying they felt left out of the process.

Some farmers called for an aggressive response, suggesting that Arkansas should sue Oklahoma for polluting streams that enter Arkansas from Oklahoma.

High levels of phosphorus in Oklahoma streams and lakes are causing odor, taste and algae problems in the water. Pollution experts saying a great deal of the phosphorus originates with poultry litter spread on the ground as fertilizer.