U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) is accepting applications for the 2019 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 2019 Environmental Management Seminar to be held Sept. 19 – 20, at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Destin, Florida.
“Poultry companies are unwavering in their responsibility to environmental stewardship and do an amazing job operating their wastewater treatment facilities. Practically all the water used in poultry and egg processing is returned to the environment in top-notch condition, continually exceeding the standards set in discharge permits. USPOULTRY is pleased to sponsor this annual award program that emphasizes these excellent facilities,” said John Prestage, Prestage Farms, 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 28.
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 2018 Clean Water Awards were Wayne Farms, Pendergrass, Georgia, for full treatment, and Pilgrim’s, Guntersville, Alabama, for pretreatment. Sanderson Farms in Waco, Texas, received honorable mention in the full treatment category. Tyson Foods in Seguin, Texas, received honorable mention in the pre-treatment category.
For an application form, click here or go to www.uspoultry.org/environment/
