Perdue  Clean  Bays  Environment

Management  Initiative
   The Environmental Protection Agency, Mid-Atlantic Region, and Perdue Farms Incorporated have signed a
Memorandum of Agreement to work together to develop and implement the Perdue Clean Bays Environmental
Management Initiative. The purpose of this program is to provide training, assistance, and environmental assessments
as it relates to poultry operations to protect the waters of Delmarva, including the Chesapeake Bay and Coastal Bays
and to enhance producers' compliance, as it relates to poultry operations, with federal, state, and local environmen-
tal regulations.
Scope
Q The program will be
   implemented in two
   stages. The first stage,
   to commence in
   January 2007, will be
   a pilot program
   directed toward the
   largest Perdue
   producers on the
   Delmarva Peninsula.
   The purpose of this
   pilot program will be
   to develop and field
   test the necessary
   tools to implement a
   corporate-wide
   program.
Q The effectiveness of
   the program will be
   assessed  after one
   year. Based upon the
   results of the pilot
   program, Perdue and
   EPA will work
   together to develop
   and implement a
   corporate-wide
   program.  The target
   date for implementing
   the corporate-wide
   program is June
   2008.
Together, EPA and Perdue will ...
   Design a program to minimize environmental impacts to  the waters of the
Chesapeake  Bay and Coastal Bays and  to help  poultry producers comply with
environmental requirements.  EPA and  Perdue have identified the following critical
components of the program and will work together to refine their elements:
Q  Training Assistance: EPA and Perdue, in conjunction with other federal and state
   agricultural agencies, will develop a  training and assistance program to ensure
   that Perdue associates and producers have the sufficient tools and knowledge
   with environmental regulations to minimize nutrient loads to Delmarva waters.
Q  Producer Environmental Assessments: EPA and Perdue will develop a thorough
   assessment program that will occur  three times a year to help poultry producers
   comply with the Nutrient Management Plan, as it relates to the poultry
   operation, and that Best Management Practices are fully implemented.
Q  Deviation Response Plan: Perdue will  develop and implement a program to
   address and correct issues identified in the assessment of the  Nutrient
   Management Plan.
Q  Environmental Results: EPA and Perdue will develop and implement a set of
   program measures to track progress toward achieving environmental
   improvement and compliance.
Q  Program Evaluation: EPA and Perdue will conduct annual and periodic
   evaluations involving joint record reviews, environmental results analysis and site
   assessments.
Q  Recognition: EPA and Perdue will development a program to  recognize poultry
   producers who demonstrate environmental and compliance excellence,
   particularly efforts to minimize nutrient loads.
Q  EPA Compliance Assurance Activities: When targeting for inspections, EPA will
   give positive consideration to those  poultry operations that are effectively
   implementing the program and devote more time to those areas where there is
   a higher environmental and compliance risk.
                              Contacts
                          John Chlada, VP, Environmental Affairs
                          Perdue Farms Incorporated
                          (410) 860-4232
                                     Hank Zygmunt, Agriculture Advisor
                                     US EPA
                                     (215) 814-5750

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