Delaware poultry farmers earn environmental awards

Delaware poultry farmers were recognized Jan. 16 with the 2014 Delaware Environmental Stewardship Award.

Little Creek Farm's Georgie Cartanza earned a first-place award for her efforts to reduce nutrient runoff and improve water quality through manure storage and minimizing spills. Cartanza, who has raised poultry since 2005, has a capacity of 156,000 birds per flock and raises birds for Perdue.

Runners-up were Robert and Lisa Masten of Milford, William W. Clifton of Millsboro and Chris and Cindy Long of Wyoming.

The Mastens grow for Allen Harim and have a capacity of 80,000 broilers. They earned recognition for planting grassed waterways to treat stormwater in the production area, planting cover crops to improve nutrient uptake and locating chicken houses in a manner that reduces odors.

Clifton grows for Mountaire Farms and has a capacity of 51,400 roasters. He earned recognition by using a manure shed for storage, using a tree buffer for odor control and using large, heavy-use pads to help clean spilled manure.

The Longs grow for Amick Farms and have a capacity of 100,000 roasters. They earned recognition for using large, heavy-use pads for manure handling, using grassed waterways between chicken houses to treat runoff and participating in a natural resources conservation service program to reduce ammonia emissions.

All awardees received plaques and signs for their farms noting the designation during a Delaware Ag Week celebration Jan. 16 at Harrington State Fairgrounds. Cartanza received a $1,000 reward and each runner-up received a $500 award.