The
House Democratic caucus and the Republican caucus joined Gov. Bob Riley for
breakfast in April at the Alabama Cattlemen's Association. The meetings were
co-hosted by the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association and the Alabama Cattlemen's
Association in an effort to bring more dialogue among the groups
as they work through the budget
Dr.
John Jensen, dean of the College of Agriculture, and Dr. Gaines Smith, Cooperative
Extension Systems director, are lobbying for funds to address poultry waste
concerns and aquaculture development in Alabama. They have requested a million
dollars for each project is placed in next year's education budget to address
these issues.
With help from the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association
and the House and Senate Education Budget Committee chairman (Rep. Richard Lindsey
and Sen. Hank Sanders respectively) and Auburn University lobbyist, Auburn has
a good possibility of getting it. The funds are currently included in the budget.
Northeast Alabama is home to many small family farms
as well as many remarkable water and land resources, such as the Tennessee River,
Lake Guntersville, and scenic mountain trails. Given the unique geology, hydrology
crisis
of state government.
The events were well attended and the lines of
communication were improved. The governor commented that state leaders should
follow the lead of Alabama's poultry and cattle industries and learn to work
together for the common good.
and
terrain of the region, agriculture and the environment must strike a delicate
balance. The interaction between the two can pose both challenges and opportunities
that are especially evidenced by the need to carefully manage poultry waste.
Poultry production is the most intensive animal
production system in northeast Alabama and is a mainstay of the area’s
economy. Beef cattle production goes hand-in-hand with poultry production for
many farmers because poultry waste is used to produce high-quality cattle forages.
However, years of applying poultry waste to the land has saturated the soils
with phosphorus in many cases.
Due to potential environmental impacts, land application
of poultry waste is severely restricted. Finding appropriate waste handling
systems and identifying new uses and outlets for poultry waste and by-products
are keys to
ensuring
that the area’s animal production systems are environmentally sound and
sustainable.
Poultry waste may have commercial value that can
be leveraged into income-producing products. Through research and new applications
of existing and emerging technologies, we will explore ways to convert these
by-products into sources of biofuels, which can help overcome our dependence
on fossil fuels. Converting waste materials into value-added products such as
commercial soil amendments and fertilizers can lead to new business opportunities.
The resulting products and businesses will invigorate
the northeast Alabama’s economy while protecting its abundant and valuable
natural resources.
