To some, the smell of a poultry farm signifies economic opportunity; to others, it represents a lower quality of life. As poultry feeding operations expanded in northeast Oklahoma, many landowners experienced more odor, dust, and visual impacts associated with nearby facilities. These concerns, combined with additional processing capacity in neighboring regions, amplified tensions between growers and their surrounding communities.
Recognizing the need for proactive engagement and practical solutions, the Oklahoma Conservation Commission sought support to help both growers and neighbors address emerging natural resource issues collaboratively.
Seeking solutions
In 2021, the commission received a Resource Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to launch “Neighbors Helping Neighbors: Addressing Challenges Through Voluntary Programs.” The initiative was designed to provide technical and financial assistance to both poultry growers and adjacent landowners to mitigate environmental concerns. The program focuses on implementing practices that address odor, dust, and other natural resource concerns on either the grower’s property or the neighbor’s.
The program’s manager conducted virtual outreach sessions and attended poultry grower continuing education events to promote available practices and technical support. The commission also sent materials to immediate neighbors of poultry operations in eastern Oklahoma. The team encountered several challenges reaching landowners due to COVID-19 restrictions and avian influenza outbreaks but was eventually able to connect with several landowners and begin implementing solutions.
Making a difference
One program participant, a poultry grower in LeFlore County operating eight poultry houses on 40 acres, faced composting facility limitations and strained neighbor relationships. He began enhancing the portion of his property along the county road by allowing natural vegetation to grow taller and planted wildflowers to create a landscape buffer. To mitigate dust and odor from exhaust fans, the Oklahoma Department of Forestry developed a tree-planting plan funded by NRCS to improve air movement and reduce impacts on nearby residents.
The grower’s composting area faced additional challenges, including limited space and scavenger attraction. After researching alternatives, he identified thermal dehydration technology used in the southeastern U.S. poultry industry. With support from the program, he worked with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry to obtain a waiver for use. The thermal dehydrator grinds and heats the deceased birds until dehydrated, producing only steam and a sterile, meal-like by-product that can be mixed with litter for land application.
The "Neighbors Helping Neighbors" program provided funding for the thermal dehydrator through the local conservation district, and the producer upgraded his composting barn and installed the necessary electrical line to run the equipment. This was the first thermal dehydrator approved for poultry mortality management in Oklahoma, with two additional units now installed in the region. The program demonstrates the effectiveness of voluntary cooperation and innovative practices in addressing natural resource concerns across agricultural communities.
This article appeared in the February 2026 issue of Journal of Nutrient Management on pages 22-23.
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