U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) is accepting applications for the 2021 Clean Water Awards. The awards recognize outstanding performance of wastewater treatment plants that operate at poultry and egg processing facilities. Winners will be announced at USPOULTRY’s 2021 Environmental Management Seminar to be held Sept. 16 – 17, at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Destin, Florida. As USPOULTRY is currently planning to move forward with the seminar, the health and safety of everyone who attends is a top priority. Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local governments regarding COVID-19 will be followed, and regular updates will be provided to all stakeholders if the situation warrants.
“Poultry companies are unwavering in their responsibility to environmental stewardship and perform an outstanding job operating their wastewater treatment facilities. Practically all the water used in poultry and egg processing is returned to the environment in excellent condition, continually exceeding the standards set in discharge permits. USPOULTRY is pleased to sponsor this annual award program that highlights these exceptional facilities,” said Greg Hinton, Rose Acre 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 that have previously won the award may not be re-nominated for five years. The deadline for submitting applications is June 25.
An evaluation committee will review the applications and select semi-finalist facilities in both categories. Award recipients will be selected after the evaluation committee completes a site visit where each semifinalist 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 2020 Clean Water Awards were Tyson Foods in New Holland, Pennsylvania, for full treatment, and Tyson Foods in Robards, Kentucky, for pretreatment. Simmons Foods in Southwest City, Missouri, received honorable mention in the full treatment category. Tyson Foods in Berryville, Arkansas, received honorable mention in the pre-treatment category.
For an application form, click here or go to www.uspoultry.org/environment/.
