Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Stacy Simunek issued the following statement after Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced a settlement between the State of Oklahoma, Tyson and Cargill in the decades-long State of Oklahoma v. Tyson Foods, Inc., et al., lawsuit regarding the application of chicken litter in the Illinois River Watershed.
“Oklahoma Farm Bureau members are encouraged by the State of Oklahoma’s settlement with Tyson Foods and Cargill to bring an end to the decades-long uncertainty our family poultry producers have faced due to the ongoing lawsuit over poultry litter in the Illinois River Watershed.
“Family farmers stood to lose the most from this long-running litigation as they did everything asked of them to care for their animals while taking on voluntary environmental stewardship efforts to protect our land, water and shared natural resources.
“We appreciate Oklahoma Attorney General Drummond’s good-faith efforts to negotiate a reasonable settlement with Tyson and Cargill that provides a path forward for our state’s family poultry producers to continue their ever-important work of responsibly producing food for our fellow Oklahomans while caring for the land that in many cases has been in the same family for decades. “Our members still have questions and concerns about the settlement’s agreement to a court-appointed Special Master, which would create a burdensome regulatory structure in our state. However, we appreciate the cooperation between the attorney general and the poultry companies to provide certainty to our agricultural producers.”
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Governor Kevin Stitt issued the following statement after the announcement of two more poultry settlements.
“After three years of gridlock and failed talks, I’m glad the Attorney General finally heeded my calls to get serious about negotiations, although it may be too late. Now that Judge Frizzell has issued a summary judgment, these settlements could be at risk of being denied by the court,” said Governor Stitt.
“We need to remember who the real heroes of this latest settlement are: Oklahoma’s farmers and ranchers. I applaud Megan Langley, a brave Oklahoman who stood up, shared her family’s story, and refused to give up when it looked like hope was nearly lost. I also applaud the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association for pulling their endorsement of the Attorney General in response to his extreme position on this issue; it sent a clear message that rural Oklahoma won’t be taken for granted.”
“We must all continue to fight the good fight until every single Oklahoma grower is protected and our agricultural communities have certainty.”
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Senator Tom Woods, R-Westville, issued the following statement Thursday after the State of Oklahoma finalized settlements totaling $25.5 million with Tyson Foods and Cargill, resolving two decades of litigation in Oklahoma v. Tyson Foods, Inc.
“In numerous townhalls, discussions, and farm visits I held across Senate District 4, I heard serious concerns from hundreds of poultry farmers and families who feared losing their livelihoods due to the ongoing litigation in Oklahoma v. Tyson. The continued uncertainty threatened not just individual farms, but also placed our rural communities at risk of economic downfall if poultry corporations were to cease operations in the state.
“These agreements put us one step closer to putting this case behind us, and I am thankful eastern Oklahoma poultry producers can now confidently operate and expand their farms without fear of losing contracts or their income.
“The steps outlined in the settlements with Tyson and Cargill will help further restore and protect our natural resources while providing long-term certainty and stability for poultry producers across the region.
“I am extremely grateful to Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, Representative David Hardin, and the many state leaders who joined me in this fight and remained committed to defending the livelihoods of our poultry producers and upholding the strength and stability of our rural economies.”
President Paul Rowsey Of Save the Illinois River gave the following Statement;
Save the Illinois River, Inc. (STIR) is pleased to see that The State of Oklahoma, Tyson, and Cargill have reached a settlement in the long-standing lawsuit involving poultry litter pollution in the Illinois River Watershed. We believe this outcome is beneficial to the community at-large, the environment and water quality in the watershed, our local farmers and agricultural growers, and the settling defendants. As we have stressed previously, clean water and agriculture interests can co-exist for the benefit of all. We are hopeful that the remaining defendants in the lawsuit will recognize their corporate responsibility and move forward with reaching a settlement. Most importantly, we are encouraged that remediation of previous pollution and the restoration of impaired water can immediately begin. STIR will continue to advocate for the preservation of the Illinois River, Flint Creek, Barren Fork Creek, Lake Tenkiller, and their tributaries.”
