The Delmarva Land and Litter Collaborative (DLLC) has just released their “Ammonia Emissions from Poultry Production” report that explores the dynamics between ammonia emissions and poultry production in the region. DLLC members spent the last two years reviewing and synthesizing the best available science related to the management of ammonia in chicken houses, modeling of ammonia emissions and identifying where information gaps still exist.
Poultry production is a source of ammonia, which can have harmful impacts to the Chesapeake Bay, local waterways, and ecosystems, as well as the chickens themselves. Ammonia emissions and their dynamics– measuring and modeling its movement and abating it in poultry houses and our environment–are difficult to understand because the science is complex, and the data is not easily accessible.
DLLC saw the need for an unbiased, factual summary of ammonia emissions related to poultry production and committed themselves to producing a report.
Since 2015, this robust group of diverse stakeholders has been working together–across Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia–to identify and share science-based solutions that support both healthy and productive ecosystems and farming and chicken production on Delmarva.
No other group brings together regional environmental organizations, poultry growers, agricultural industry, academia, and state and federal regulators to ensure broad perspectives and thorough vetting of information. Because of this, DLLC is a trusted source for insights on how both agricultural production and water quality can flourish on Delmarva and for discerning the connections between our region’s agricultural and chicken production, clean water, and healthy communities.
The group requires unanimous approval among their 30-members before it issues any statements or reports. DLLC Chair, Josh Hastings, states “Our process ensures that our products can be trusted because they have been thoroughly reviewed by all our members. We hope that our report on ammonia production provides an opportunity for shared understanding of what is known, as well as gaps in our current understanding, monitoring, and modeling programs.”
DLLC is hosting a public webinar to review its report and findings on December 13 from 1 – 2 p.m. The webinar will include a question and answer session with DLLC members and report authors.
To read the summary of the science, production management practices that affect ammonia, and what DLLC identified as key gaps in our collective understanding in Ammonia Emissions from Poultry Production, join in for a free webinar (from 1-2 pm) on December 13th — presented by DLLC member Dr. Richard Snyder.
How to access the report
