Poultry Waste Dumping Causes Concern in Marshall County
At any given time there are roughly 5 million broiler chickens being raised in Marshall County, Alabama. It ranks third in the state for poultry production. While the industry creates more than 1,500 jobs, it also creates a lot of poultry waste. Some Marshall County residents say a Tyson chicken processing plant is disposing of leftover chicken remnants in a possible health-threatening way: an open-air lagoon. Reporter Cody Owens writes about it in this week’s edition of WELD.
“You ready?” John Mitchell asked, before rolling the down the passenger window of his truck just outside of Boaz, Alabama. “Brace yourself.”
As the window opened the smell of the nearby holding pond in Marshall County, where poultry processing plants dump leftover chicken waste, burst into the cab of the truck.
The overwhelming odor knocks people back, Mitchell said, covering his nose and mouth. It’s a bitter taste of rot.
Owens joined WBHM’s Rachel Osier Lindley to discuss this story and why there’s little legal recourse for people like John Mitchell.
Alabama’s racial, ethnic health disparities are ‘more severe’ than other states, report says
Data from the Commonwealth Fund show that the quality of care people receive and their health outcomes worsened because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
What’s your favorite thing about Alabama?
That's the question we put to those at our recent News and Brews community pop-ups at Hop City and Saturn in Birmingham.
Q&A: A former New Orleans police chief says it’s time the U.S. changes its marijuana policy
Ronal Serpas is one of 32 law enforcement leaders who signed a letter sent to President Biden in support of moving marijuana to a Schedule III drug.
How food stamps could play a key role in fixing Jackson’s broken water system
JXN Water's affordability plan aims to raise much-needed revenue while offering discounts to customers in need, but it is currently tied up in court.
Alabama mine cited for federal safety violations since home explosion led to grandfather’s death, grandson’s injuries
Following a home explosion that killed one and critically injured another, residents want to know more about the mine under their community. So far, their questions have largely gone unanswered.
Crawfish prices are finally dropping, but farmers and fishers are still struggling
Last year’s devastating drought in Louisiana killed off large crops of crawfish, leading to a tough season for farmers, fishers and seafood lovers.
