Poultry farmer Georgie Cartanza of Little Creek was recognized for her efforts to improve water quality and reduce nutrient runoff with the 2014 Delaware Environmental Stewardship Award.
Cartanza, a roster grower for Perdue Farms, 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. She is certified as a private nutrient handler by the Delaware Nutrient Management Program.
The awards were presented last month during Delaware Ag Week by Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Ed Kee, U.S. Senator 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.”
Runners-up were:
– Robert and Lisa Masten of Milford, growers for Allen Harim, with a capacity of 80,000 broilers. They have planted grassed waterways to treat storm water in the production area, plant cover crops to assist with nutrient uptake, and have located the chicken houses to reduce odors.
– William W. Clifton of Millsboro, a grower for Mountaire Farms, with a capacity of 51,400 roasters. He uses a manure shed to keep manure under cover before it is applied on fields, has a tree buffer to help with odor control and uses large heavy-use pads to help with cleaning up spilled manure.
– Chris and Cindy Long of Wyoming, growers for Amick Farms, with a capacity of 100,000 roasters. They have large heavy-use pads to help with manure handling, use grassed waterways between houses to treat runoff, and participate in a Natural Resources Conservation Service program to reduce ammonia emissions.
Cartanza will receive $1,000, a plaque and a sign for her farm. The runners-up will receive $500, plaques and signs.
Past recipients of the Environmental Stewardship
The awards are supported by Allen Harim Foods, Amick Farms, Mountaire Farms and Perdue Farms.
