U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) is accepting applications for the 2018 Clean Water Awards. The awards recognize outstanding performance of wastewater treatment plants that operate at poultry or egg processing facilities. Winners will be announced at USPOULTRY’s 2018 Environmental Management Seminar to be held Sept. 20 – 21, at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Destin, Fla.
“Poultry companies are steadfast in their responsibility to environmental stewardship and do a remarkable job operating their wastewater treatment facilities. Practically all of the water used in poultry and egg processing is returned to the environment in first-rate condition, continually surpassing the standards established in their discharge permits. USPOULTRY is pleased to sponsor this annual award program that highlights the work wastewater treatment professionals in our industry take to preserve our natural resources and enhance the environment,” said Tom Hensley, Fieldale Farms, Baldwin, Ga., and USPOULTRY chairman.
Awards are presented in two categories – full treatment and pretreatment. Full treatment facilities are those facilities that fully treat their wastewater prior to discharge into a receiving stream or a land application system. Pretreatment facilities are those facilities that discharge pretreated effluent to publicly-owned wastewater treatment facilities for further treatment. Any USPOULTRY member company is eligible to submit three nominees in each category. Facilities which have previously won the award may not be re-nominated for five years. The deadline for submitting applications is June 29.
An evaluation committee will review the applications and select semi-finalist facilities in each category. Award recipients will be selected after the evaluation committee completes a site visit were the semifinalists will have an opportunity to showcase their facility.
Award recipients will receive a trophy, be profiled on the USPOULTRY website and receive assistance from USPOULTRY in publicizing the award on a local, regional and national level.
The winners of the 2017 Clean Water Awards were Tyson Foods River Valley Animal Foods, Scranton, Ark., for full treatment, and Keystone Foods, Gadsden, Ala., for pretreatment. American Proteins in Cumming, Ga., and Wayne Farms in Pendergrass, Ga., received honorable mention in the full treatment category. Keystone Foods in Gadsden, Ala., and Pilgrim’s in Guntersville, Ala., received honorable mention in the pre-treatment category.
