Perdue grower earns Delaware Environmental Stewardship Award

Poultry farmer Georgie Cartanza has beenrecognized for her efforts to improve water quality and reduce nutrient runoffwith the 2014 Delaware Environmental Stewardship Award.

Poultry farmer Georgie Cartanza has been recognized for her efforts to improve water quality and reduce nutrient runoff with the 2014 Delaware Environmental Stewardship Award.

Cartanza, who grows roasters for Perdue Farms near Little Creek, Delaware, has raised poultry since 2005, with a capacity of 156,000 birds per flock. As part of her efforts to reduce nutrient runoff and improve water quality, Cartanza's farm places manure in a manure shed immediately after clean-outs, minimizes manure spillage and directs all stormwater from the production area into a retention pond for treatment, reported the Cape Gazette. Cartanza is certified as a private nutrient handler by the Delaware Nutrient Management Program.

The awards were presented recently during Delaware Ag Week by Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Ed Kee, U.S. Sen. Tom Carper, Nutrient Management Commission Chairman Bill Vanderwende and Delaware Nutrient Management Program Administrator Larry Towle.

"Georgie Cartanza is playing a leading role on the ground in protecting water quality and being a good environmental steward, like many of her fellow farmers," Kee said. "Their hard work is paying off, with indications of progress in improving Delaware's water, and we are grateful for their leadership."

"Agriculture plays a vital role in Delaware's economy, and poultry is a major player," said Carper, who as Delaware’s governor oversaw the creation of Delaware's nationally recognized Nutrient Management Program. "Poultry farmers have a responsibility to lead the way in best management practices and environmental stewardship. It's wonderful to see the Nutrient Management Commission and our local poultry companies recognizing and honoring farmers like Georgie who exemplify being the very best caretakers of the environment."

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