Rep. David Hardin, R-Stilwell, issued the following statement after Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced a new agreement involving the companies named in the long-running Illinois River Watershed poultry litigation:
“After more than two decades of litigation, I am encouraged that the state and all six poultry integrators have reached a new agreement.
The agreement announced this week appears to offer a more balanced path that addresses concerns within the watershed while recognizing the importance of poultry production to our region.
It is important to be clear that this is an agreement between the Attorney General, acting on behalf of the state, and the defendant poultry integrators. It is not yet a court-approved resolution. The agreement must still move through the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and the federal district court before the prior judgment can be vacated and the lawsuit dismissed.
There are still important steps ahead, but I am hopeful this agreement will bring this decades-long case closer to a responsible conclusion and provide greater certainty for eastern Oklahoma families.”
The agreement involves Tyson Foods, Cargill, George’s, Peterson Farms, Cal-Maine and Simmons Foods. It includes funding for watershed projects, environmental monitoring and other measures related to poultry litter management. The agreement remains subject to court approval.
