Federal Judge In Tulsa Hears Arguments In Poultry Case

Wednesday, May 17th 2006, 11:43 am

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- A federal magistrate heard arguments Wednesday in a challenge by poultry farmers to block Oklahoma from collecting soil and water as part of the state's lawsuit accusing the poultry industry of causing pollution.

After hearing several hours of arguments, U.S. Magistrate Sam Joyner took the case under advisement. He gave no timeframe for when his ruling might come.

Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson sued Springdale, Ark.-based Tyson Foods Inc. and 13 other poultry companies in June alleging that chicken litter applied as fertilizer by Oklahoma farmers working for the companies is polluting watersheds.

Joyner had granted Edmondson permission to issue subpoenas to collect soil and water samples, but the farmers filed a motion to quash those subpoenas.