Fall staging emergency order set to go into effect November first

DELAWARE – An emergency order now approved to protect animals on farms in the first state.

It’s a 180 day extension to properly stage poultry litter on crop fields. Many farmers use poultry litter as a natural fertilizer before planting season which promotes healthy and strong soil. However, the Delaware Department of Agriculture issued control orders to prevent cases of the Avian Flu. The virus that caused hardships for many farmers.

Starting next month, farmers can begin properly staging poultry litter in the fields where it will be used next spring. “If they are able to work more in the Fall, that’s an advantage that they might be able to spread out the work load of emptying the poultry barns of the manure . Getting the litter in a place to where it needs to be finally spread,” says Chris Brosch, the Delaware Department of Agriculture’s Nutrient Management Administrator.

The Department says each operation of staging is going to be completely different. However, if the virus is still at a high risk here on the shore after this year it will be something the department looks into long term.