More than a hundred prospective poultry growers took advantage of the opportunity to meet with representatives from Mar-Jac Poultry, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Resource Conservation and Development Council (RC&D), the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System at a community meeting held last week at the A.W. Todd Centre.
Mar-Jac, which announced plans to build a $25 million feed mill in Spruce Pine, will also expand its processing plant in Jasper and its hatchery in Moulton, for a total investment of $42 million in northwest Alabama.
“There's a lot to be excited about with this expansion,” Keith Martin with Mar-Jac told the crowd. “We need to build more than 120 poultry houses over the next two years. That takes some help from the folks sitting around these back tables, but mostly it takes help from you.”
Martin's reference was to the eight lending institutions that had tables set up at the meeting. Aspiring growers met with lenders, builders, insurance representatives and officials from several state and federal agencies, all of which are involved with the poultry industry.
“You're here tonight because you're interested in poultry houses but you might not know how to get started. There are plenty of people here willing to help you,” Martin said. “All of us have a dream, and this may be part of your dream. I hope you find that out tonight."
Sharon Andress, conservation program manager for the Franklin County NRCS office spoke about various programs available for poultry growers through her agency.
“We offer programs that can provide financial and technical assistance for growers for contracts up to three years,” Andress said. “We help growers with federal, state and local environmental regulations and can help you implement conservation practices in your operation.”
Prospective growers heard from several speakers the importance of conservation and adherence to environmental regulations in their grow operations. Prior to closing construction loans on poultry houses, growers must have a certified Environmental Quality Incentives Program, or EQIP, in place as a condition of the agreement. Additionally, a comprehensive nutrient management plan is required for all growers. This plan will help meet the additional requirement of a Waste Management System Plan (WMSP) required by ADEM.
Aaron Peters with ADEM explained that prior to construction, growers must present a WMSP that includes a professional engineering plan with the proposed farm layout with all waste control measures needed.
“I suggest you follow that plan to a T—if not going beyond it,” Peters said.
ADEM requirements state that a poultry house must be at least 100 feet from water and 100 feet from a well, as well as additional buffer requirements to be submitted prior to construction.
Kent Stanford, an extension specialist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, explained the various services available for poultry farmers through county extension offices.
“First and foremost, we must protect water quality. The policies we have in place will insure that you do that,” Stanford said. “We're here to provide education and help you in any way we can.”
Stanford said soil testing is required prior to starting poultry house construction. He urged applicants to keep meticulous written records.
“One of the biggest needs with nutrient management is record-keeping," Stanford said. "If you don't write it down, it never happened. Protect yourself with documentation so you're covered in an emergency situation."
He also encouraged prospective poultry farmers to consider relations with their neighbors prior to building poultry houses.
“Think about who might be affected. Put yourself in their shoes and think how you would feel in that situation,” Stanford said.
Representatives from lending institutions also spoke about their services.
“We're excited to be here. CB&S Bank has a long history of serving Franklin County and surrounding counties,” Mary Ellen Allen with CB&S Bank said. “We're excited about what's happening with Mar-Jac. We'd love to work with Mar-Jac and you going forward.”
There were a few tense moments when prospective grower Johnny Bowen asked Martin and Franklin County Development Authority executive director Mitch Mays about what efforts they've made to ensure adequate water supply to the new feed mill.
Mays said water will be supplied by the Phil Campbell Water and Sewer Authority. Mays also said he didn't expect Mar-Jac to be a heavy water user at the feed mill.
But Bowen said the addition of 120 area poultry houses would have a significant impact on water supply.
“It's hard to believe with all this expansion and industrial possibilities, as well as the increase in row crops with the need for irrigation, that no elected official has gotten with TVA, which was set up to help development in rural areas make sure these lakes have water year round for existing and future growth,” Bowen said.“A great example of poor water management is California and Texas. Produce went through the roof, and beef did, too. It's our chance to be proactive and set an example.
"I think Roger Bedford would have been trying to help our local farmers," he added.
Martin said Mar-Jac will contract with at least 120 poultry houses in the Franklin, Marion, Winston and Lawrence County areas. Of that total, 12 breeder houses will be needed and one pullet house.
“Two years from today we'd like to be 100-percent operational on all 120 houses,” Martin said.
According to recent totals from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Franklin County agriculture, forestry and related industries impact $1.5 billion and 8,236 jobs. In 2010, more than $215.3 million was generated through Franklin County's agricultural and forestry sector.
Of that, poultry and egg commodities represented $172.1 million and 833 jobs, with $49.8 million value added and $2.4 million in indirect business taxes. Farmland consumes 140,826 acres of Franklin County's total land area of 406,810 acres.
