@Fire Ant Farm
USPOULTRY Recognizes Ideal Poultry Breeding Farm for Excellence in Environmental Stewardship TUCKER, Ga. – Mar. 1, 2017 –
Ideal Poultry Breeding Farm in Cameron, Texas, was one of five farms from across the United States to receive U.S. Poultry & Egg Association’s Family Farm Environmental Excellence Award during the International Poultry Expo, part of the 2017 International Production & Processing Expo, in Atlanta, Ga. U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) sponsors the annual awards in recognition of exemplary environmental stewardship by family farmers engaged in poultry and egg production.
Applicants were rated in several categories, including manure management, nutrient management planning, community involvement, wildlife enhancement techniques, innovative nutrient management techniques, and participation in education and outreach programs. Applications were reviewed and farm visits conducted by a team of environmental professionals from universities, regulatory agencies and state poultry associations.
Ideal Poultry Breeding Farm, represented by Gary Fuchs, was nominated by the Texas Poultry Federation. Ideal Poultry Breeding Farm was started in 1937 and has remained a family business over the years. Today, three generations of the Fuchs family work on the farm. The farm currently has a capacity of 45,000 birds for egg production and breeding, and the Fuchs’ produce millions of chicks each year in their 39 poultry houses. The Fuchs also raise cattle and grow hay on their farm.
All of the litter removed from the poultry houses is composted or transported directly to third-party pasture land for fertilizer. All litter storage facilities are covered to prevent runoff of nutrients. The Fuchs’ facilities were designed with prevailing winds in mind to minimize potential odor impacts to neighboring properties. Protection of natural resources and wildlife are a high priority at Ideal Poultry Breeding Farm. In addition to litter, other hatchery waste is composted and also utilized for fertilizer. Composting hatchery waste is not very common, so it requires some effort to figure out how to properly compost the material. It has proved to be a useful nutrient source and is no longer sent to a landfill for disposal.
Ideal Poultry Breeding Farm also utilizes an ultraviolent light to sanitize the eggs before hatching them. This reduces the use of chemicals that could impact the environment. Jerry Moye, 2017 USPOULTRY chairman and recently retired president of Cobb-Vantress, Siloam Springs, Ark, presented the award to Gary and Susan Fuchs.
Ideal Poultry Breeding Farm in Cameron, Texas, was one of five farms from across the United States to receive U.S. Poultry & Egg Association’s Family Farm Environmental Excellence Award during the International Poultry Expo, part of the 2017 International Production & Processing Expo, in Atlanta, Ga. U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) sponsors the annual awards in recognition of exemplary environmental stewardship by family farmers engaged in poultry and egg production.
Applicants were rated in several categories, including manure management, nutrient management planning, community involvement, wildlife enhancement techniques, innovative nutrient management techniques, and participation in education and outreach programs. Applications were reviewed and farm visits conducted by a team of environmental professionals from universities, regulatory agencies and state poultry associations.
Ideal Poultry Breeding Farm, represented by Gary Fuchs, was nominated by the Texas Poultry Federation. Ideal Poultry Breeding Farm was started in 1937 and has remained a family business over the years. Today, three generations of the Fuchs family work on the farm. The farm currently has a capacity of 45,000 birds for egg production and breeding, and the Fuchs’ produce millions of chicks each year in their 39 poultry houses. The Fuchs also raise cattle and grow hay on their farm.
All of the litter removed from the poultry houses is composted or transported directly to third-party pasture land for fertilizer. All litter storage facilities are covered to prevent runoff of nutrients. The Fuchs’ facilities were designed with prevailing winds in mind to minimize potential odor impacts to neighboring properties. Protection of natural resources and wildlife are a high priority at Ideal Poultry Breeding Farm. In addition to litter, other hatchery waste is composted and also utilized for fertilizer. Composting hatchery waste is not very common, so it requires some effort to figure out how to properly compost the material. It has proved to be a useful nutrient source and is no longer sent to a landfill for disposal.
Ideal Poultry Breeding Farm also utilizes an ultraviolent light to sanitize the eggs before hatching them. This reduces the use of chemicals that could impact the environment. Jerry Moye, 2017 USPOULTRY chairman and recently retired president of Cobb-Vantress, Siloam Springs, Ark, presented the award to Gary and Susan Fuchs.
