| Sussex County, Delaware produces more broilers than any other county in the United States, producing 232 million broilers in 1998 (Martin et al., 1998). While poultry production is the primary economic activity in the county, it is also the primary source of nutrient pollution. Poultry litter is commonly applied directly to cropland in Sussex County as a fertilizer and is the primary litter disposal method. The poultry industry is highly concentrated within the county and there is not sufficient cropland in the county on which to apply poultry litter at agronomic application rates. As a result, phosphorus levels have built up in the soils and nutrients now enter the county's waterways causing water quality problems (DNREC, 1998).; The intent of this dissertation is to develop environmental policies that promote the creation of a sustainable poultry industry in Sussex County, Delaware. Sustainable poultry industry practices meet the triumvirate goals of being environmentally sound; economically viable in both the short-term and long-term; and socially responsible in the sense of promoting equity, and preserving rural communities and quality of life. The following alternatives were evaluated in terms of their economic feasibility and effectiveness. The methods designed to reduce the phosphorus content of poultry manure were: (1) the use of low phytase corn in poultry rations, and (2) the addition of the enzyme phytase in poultry rations. The alternative uses of poultry litter were: (1) biogas production, (2) energy generation, (3) composting, (4) use as a cattle feed supplement, and (5) pelletizing.; The economic analysis of alternative uses of poultry litter was conducted using IMPLAN, a PC based economic analysis software system.; This research identified policies that reduce agricultural water pollution in a manner that is economically viable and protects the existing rural community structure and values. |
