Environmental Excellence
When it comes to protecting the environment, Marshall County poultry producer David Hodges says he’s not that different from most farmers in Alabama.”I think I’m right along with 99.9 percent of the cattle and poultry growers in the state,” he said. “As a rule, I believe most farmers are following the rules and trying to do a good job.”Well, if Hodges’ assessment of the situation is correct, farmers aren’t just doing a “good” job. According to the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association (USPEA), they are doing an “excellent” job. That’s because, earlier this year, Hodges and wife Martha received the USPEA’s Farm Family Environmental Excellence Award for the Midsouth region (which includes Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee).As one of only five poultry growers in the nation to receive the award, Hodges was presented a trophy and a check for $1,000 during an all-expense-paid trip to the association’s meeting in Atlanta. Looking back on all the publicity he’s received since winning the award, Hodges said what really sets his farm apart is record keeping.”We keep records on everything,” said Hodges, who worked as a fireman and paramedic before getting into the poultry business. “I guess that comes from when I was working at the fire department and as director of EMS (Emergency Management Service) in Guntersville. I was often called to court to testify, and I learned that if it wasn’t on paper, it didn’t happen.”Sitting in the office located at the end of one of his six broiler houses, Hodges held up a three-ring binder that he explained has grown from one inch to three in the past few years. “When I started farming, I saw that the CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations) regulations were on the horizon, and I knew the only way to keep records was if I spread my own litter,” Hodges said. “And, I knew the only way I could keep up with everything was to come up with a plan.”But when Hodges started leasing land on which to apply his litter, he soon realized the farm numbers assigned by the U.S. Department of Agriculture didn’t always correspond with the fields where he was spreading. Hodges solved that problem by creating a detailed database that allows him to track his litter applications by farm owner, farm number, tract number, field number, applicator and crop system. Each time he spreads poultry litter, Hodges records the number of loads that were applied, the number of acres covered, and how many tons were applied per acre.”Since 1999, I can tell you where every bit of litter that has left this farm has gone,” he said. “Last year, we spread 736 tons of litter and averaged 1.6 tons per acre.”Hodges currently leases about 1,100 acres, 750 of which are suitable for the application of poultry litter. He spreads litter twice a year–spring and fall–and he applies the litter based on soil samples conducted every three years.The five-year leases give Hodges access to the farms for soil sampling and provide the owners a detailed list of the Best Management Practices (BMPs) that will be followed. Hodges, who is a certified waste vendor, also maintains a nutrient management plan on each farm. In turn, the landowners pay Hodges for each load of litter he spreads on their land.Hodges said the arrangement benefits everyone involved because much of the land is nutrient deficient. When it comes to spreading litter, however, Hodges said he tries to be considerate of his landlords and their neighbors. “We notify the neighbors if we are going to be spreading, and we don’t spread if the wind is blowing in the wrong direction,” he said. “I think that’s why we haven’t had any major problems.”Hodges’ environmental stewardship begins long before he ever spreads the first load of litter. At his poultry farm, even the topography of the land plays a role in protecting the environment.”When I built my first four poultry houses (in 1996), the Natural Resources Conservation Service told me what I needed,” Hodges said. “We built a sediment pond below the houses. Everywhere that litter comes out of the houses–all of the load-out areas–drains into the sediment pond. The nutrients are trapped there, and we clean it out once a year. It makes great topsoil. The water drains out real slowly over three-fourths of a mile of fescue waterways before it enters the creek.”A few years ago, Hodges said AARP sampled the water in the creek and found a high bacterial count. But when they conducted a DNA test on the manure found in the creek, they determined it was from wild ducks, not chickens. In fact, when they sampled the water coming out of Hodges’ sediment pond, they discovered it was actually cleaner than the water in the creek.For Hodges, the AARP findings were proof that his conservation plan was paying dividends. But environmental benefits aren’t the only incentives for wise nutrient management, Hodges said. For at least one practice, there also are financial rewards.”We don’t clean our poultry houses out to the ground like other growers,” Hodges said. “We take out a portion of the litter, and the rest is pushed into a windrow in the middle of the house. When the litter reaches 130 degrees, it goes through a heat that kills the bacteria–basically it becomes compost. Then, we spread it back out and top dress it with sawdust. This saves us from having to spread about 225 tons of litter, because we are recycling it,” he said, adding that it also reduces the amount of sawdust or shavings they have to purchase.Hodges spreads alum over the composted litter before putting the sawdust down. He said the alum helps bind the phosphorous in the litter. In addition, he has a 40- x 100-foot composter in which he disposes of dead birds. Hodges samples the litter each fall to determine its nutrient content and then adjusts his spreader based on those results as well as soil samples and land use.He also recently allowed Alabama A&M University to set up a weather station at his farm to monitor precipitation, wind, air temperature, soil temperature and soil moisture. Hodges said the station is added insurance because it provides data he can use to document the weather conditions on days when he applies litter.That could be particularly important in the future because current regulations prohibit farmers from spreading litter when the ground is saturated or when rain is likely. Until recently, however, the nearest weather station to Hodges’ farm was 50 miles away in Huntsville–where conditions could be significantly different. The new station gives Hodges verifiable data about his farm.A third-generation poultry producer, Hodges still remembers when his grandmother raised pullets. Today, he helps his father, Jimmy, with two additional broiler houses, and he’s teaching his sons the business. Both Aubrey, 19, who is a poultry science student at Snead State College, and Aaron, 16, help out on the farm when not in class.”I want my farm to be here in 20 years with my sons here helping me run it,” Hodges said. “I believe the rules and regulations that are in effect not only protect the environment, but they will allow us to continue to operate and produce the safest, most economical food in world. By following the rules now and by showing the public that we are doing a good job and being good stewards of the land, hopefully we can avoid unnecessary rules in the future.”