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Oklahoma AG Drummond Reaches $25 Million Poultry Pollution Settlements

  • Oklahoma AG Gentner Drummond secured more than $25 million in combined settlements with Tyson Foods, Inc., Cargill, Inc., and related entities to resolve allegations that the companies violated state law by contaminating the Illinois River with poultry waste.
  • According to the settlements, the companies allegedly committed statutory public nuisance and trespass by allowing phosphorus-heavy poultry litter from contract farms to run off into state waterways, allegedly causing environmental degradation and impairing natural resources.
  • Under the terms of the Cargill consent judgment, the company will pay $6,175,000 into a Monetary Relief Fund and $325,000 for special master oversight; Cargill must also implement phased limits on the percentage of poultry litter that may be land-applied within the watershed—reducing that cap to 5% in Years 5–10—among other obligations.
  • The Tyson consent judgment requires the company to pay $18,050,000 into a Monetary Relief Fund and $950,000 for special master oversight; Tyson must implement phased limits on land application within the watershed, reducing the cap to 20% in Years 5–7, among other relief.