The state of Oklahoma has reached a settlement with George’s, Inc. resolving allegations connected to poultry litter contamination in the Illinois River Watershed, according to state officials. The agreement concludes the state’s claims against the company while outlining financial contributions and operational adjustments intended to address environmental impacts.
Attorney General Gentner Drummond said the settlement represents a negotiated resolution that balances environmental protection with the economic role of the poultry sector. In exchange for meeting the terms of the agreement, George’s is released from any additional claims by the state related to the matter.
As part of the settlement, George’s will provide $5 million to Oklahoma to support remediation and conservation initiatives in the watershed and to cover legal expenses. The company has also committed to removing poultry litter from the Illinois River Watershed over a seven-year period, with the goal of cutting the proportion of litter remaining in the watershed from a maximum of 40 percent to no more than 20 percent.
Additional provisions require George’s to contribute $250,000 to fund oversight by a court-appointed special master responsible for ensuring compliance with the agreement. Any poultry litter removed from the Illinois River Watershed under the settlement may not be land-applied in other nutrient-sensitive watersheds within Oklahoma.
The agreement follows a federal court ruling issued last month that found multiple poultry companies jointly liable for pollution in the Illinois River Watershed. That decision mandated long-term remediation efforts and placed tighter restrictions on poultry waste application practices in the region.
State officials emphasized that the settlement with George’s does not affect ongoing legal action involving other poultry companies named in the federal case, including Tyson Foods, Cobb-Vantress, Cargill, Simmons Foods, Peterson Farms and Cal-Maine Foods. Discussions with those companies are continuing as Oklahoma pursues broader cleanup and restoration efforts in the watershed.
