POULTRY Delmarva is home to over 2 million acres of farmland. Since the mid twentieth century, poultry has been a key part of the Delmarva agricultural economy. The relationships between poultry production and climate change are complex: (for meat eaters) chicken is arguably the most climate-friendly meat. Warming temperatures will increase the cost of poultry farming, and the risks of human health and poultry disease concerns. Recent attempts to consider using poultry manure to produce electricity have the potential to create an alternative to fossil fuel-generated electricity, while also reducing nutrient pollution. But it is not clear if this will be economically viable. Inside Andrew Knight and Desmond Tutu's book The Global Guide to Animal Protection, there is an article titled "Animal Agriculture and Climate Change" that states, "The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization calculated that when measured as carbon dioxide (CO2)...18 percent of worldwide greenhouse gases (GHGs)-totaling 7.5 billion tons annually-results from production of cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, camels, pigs and poultry" [4]. Although poultry is included in this calculation, "the most climate-friendly meats [come] from pigs and poultry, which account for only 10% of total livestock greenhouse-gas emissions while contributing more than three times as much meat globally as cattle. Pork and poultry are also more efficient for feed, requiring up to five times less feed to produce a kg of protein than a cow, a sheep or a goat" [5]. If you are going to continue to eat meat, poultry is among one of the "climate friendly meats". New Energy Source: According to Chesapeake Climate Action Network, "the volume of manure produced by Maryland’s intensive poultry industry creates numerous environmental problems. When spread on fields in excess of what can be appropriately applied to crops as fertilizer, poultry waste can cause damage to surrounding air and water systems" [2]. There are corporations such as Perdue in Wicomico County that are trying to reduce the risk of their excess manure through greener storage practices, such as recycling the manure into re-sale pellets for fertilization. Chesapeake Climate Action Network's research on the issue of over-fertilization "reveals that operations which aim to convert Manure to Energy (MTE) have the potential to be climate-appropriate only insofar as they utilize excess manure and employ the best technological means for capturing emissions" [2]. They continue to state that, "given the difficulty of measuring these key benchmarks and given the ongoing gaps in our scientific understanding of many key issues involved, significant additional research is needed before large-scale manure-to-energy systems can be responsibly developed in the Chesapeake region" [2]. This information encourages the public to understand that there may not be measured accuracy of levels of nutrients to predict what the exact affects of this issue are. But, it is known that without further research and dedication to this issue, there won't be many improvements. Journalist Wayne Creed, from Cape Charles Mirror in a 2017 article titled "Expert on Controversial Poultry Litter Incineration coming to the Eastern Shore March 15th" wrote that the current proposed methods of managing the large-scale amount of poultry litter generated from the number of broiler farms on the Eastern Shore, is incineration. Creed provides a case study from 2016 that resulted in BHSL, an Irish company promoting this technology (burning chicken manure to generate electricity from the resultant heat), beuing contracted to build a $3 million demonstration project on the Eastern Shore of Maryland[6]. Specifically on the Eastern Shore, Perdue's corporation is trying this method.
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Climate Related Disease Risks:
The disease risks will rise with climate change raising the temperature in Wicomico County, mainly due to emissions caused by land application and increased spread of pathogens (bacterium love heat). The National Association of Local Board of Health states that, a "study by Iowa State University, which was a result of a lawsuit settlement between the Sierra Club and Tyson Chicken, found that two chicken houses in western Kentucky emitted over 10 tons of ammonia in the year they were monitored (Burns et al., 2007)" [7]. The impact of a warmer climate on ammonia in the atmosphere is unknown, but worrisome. The National Association of Local Boards of Health explains that, "pathogens are parasites, bacterium, or viruses that are capable of causing disease or infection in animals or humans. The major source of pathogens from CAFOs is in animal manure. There are over 150 pathogens in manure that could impact human health. Healthy people who are exposed to pathogens can generally recover quickly, but those who have weakened immune systems are at increased risk for severe illness or death. Those at higher risk include infants or young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and those who are immunosuppressed, HIV positive, or have had chemotherapy. This risk group now roughly compromises 20% of the U.S. population" [7]. NALBH continues to show consistent evidence that suggests that factory farms already have increased asthma in neighboring communities (children have higher rates of asthma) (Sigurdarson & Kline, 2006; Mirabelli et al., 2006). Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations emit smaller particles that can be absorbed by the body and have systemic effects, including cardiac arrest. When people are exposed to this matter for a long period of time, it can lead to decreased lung function. (Michigan Department of Environmental Quality [MDEQ] Toxics Steering Group [TSG], 2006). High levels of ammonia can lead to scarring of the airways [7]. Other reported health effects of CAFO air emissions can cause headaches, respiratory problems, eye irritation, nausea, weakness and chest tightness. [7]. Economic Impacts of Poultry:
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To read more about other climate change impacts on agriculture, check out the pages below:
References:
1. Header Photo: Bukhanovsky
2. Baranyai and Bradley 2008, p. 16
3. Wheeler, Timothy B. “Perdue Manure Recycling Plant Reduces Nutrients in Bay.”Tribunedigital-Baltimoresun, The Baltimore Sun, 12 June 2010, articles.baltimoresun.com/2010-06-12/features/bs-gr-perdue-manure-plant-20100613_1_jim-perdue-organic-farming-manure.
4. KNIGHT, A. (2013). ANIMAL AGRICULTURE AND CLIMATE CHANGE. In Tutu D. (Author) & Linzey A. (Ed.), The Global Guide to Animal Protection (pp. 254-256). University of Illinois Press. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/j.ctt2tt9r9.171
5. Bryan Walsh. “The Triple Whopper Environmental Impact of Global Meat Production.” Time, Time, 16 Dec. 2013, science.time.com/2013/12/16/the-triple-whopper-environmental-impact-of-global-meat-production/.
6. Creed, Wayne, et al. “Expert on Controversial Poultry Litter Incineration Coming to the Eastern Shore March 15th.” CAPE CHARLES MIRROR, 19 Mar. 2017, www.capecharlesmirror.com/news/expert-on-controversial-poultry-litter-incineration-coming-to-the-eastern-shore-march-15th/.
7. Schultz, MED. Mark. "Understanding Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations and Their Impact on Communities" National Association of Local Board of Health, 2010.
8. “College Scholarship Golf Tournament.” DPI Facts & Figures | Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc., www.dpichicken.org/.
1. Header Photo: Bukhanovsky
2. Baranyai and Bradley 2008, p. 16
3. Wheeler, Timothy B. “Perdue Manure Recycling Plant Reduces Nutrients in Bay.”Tribunedigital-Baltimoresun, The Baltimore Sun, 12 June 2010, articles.baltimoresun.com/2010-06-12/features/bs-gr-perdue-manure-plant-20100613_1_jim-perdue-organic-farming-manure.
4. KNIGHT, A. (2013). ANIMAL AGRICULTURE AND CLIMATE CHANGE. In Tutu D. (Author) & Linzey A. (Ed.), The Global Guide to Animal Protection (pp. 254-256). University of Illinois Press. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/j.ctt2tt9r9.171
5. Bryan Walsh. “The Triple Whopper Environmental Impact of Global Meat Production.” Time, Time, 16 Dec. 2013, science.time.com/2013/12/16/the-triple-whopper-environmental-impact-of-global-meat-production/.
6. Creed, Wayne, et al. “Expert on Controversial Poultry Litter Incineration Coming to the Eastern Shore March 15th.” CAPE CHARLES MIRROR, 19 Mar. 2017, www.capecharlesmirror.com/news/expert-on-controversial-poultry-litter-incineration-coming-to-the-eastern-shore-march-15th/.
7. Schultz, MED. Mark. "Understanding Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations and Their Impact on Communities" National Association of Local Board of Health, 2010.
8. “College Scholarship Golf Tournament.” DPI Facts & Figures | Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc., www.dpichicken.org/.