[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/EW-03-27-12-Chicken.mp3|titles=EW 03-27-12 Chicken]
Americans are gobbling up chicken, which has replaced red meat as the number one source of animal protein in our diet. Nearly 9 billion chickens are sold each year, about 30 for each of us.
Pastoral scenes show chickens roaming the yard of a family farm. But today, chickens are largely produced in factory farms, with up to 600,000 birds each. Now, I suppose that large-scale production is the expected outcome to supply the demand of 300 million Americans, with efficiency and economy. But, these factory farms have a number of environmental impacts, including intensive use of hormones and antibiotics and huge quantities of chicken manure that need disposal.
Ideally, a farm ecosystem would recycle its wastes and plow them back into crop production. But, with the production of huge numbers of chickens in a small area, feed is imported and the waste produced is vastly in excess of what can be recycled locally. So, when nitrogen is applied to fields in Iowa, the corn is shipped to feed chickens in Delaware, and the manure is a source of nitrogen and phosphorus for Chesapeake Bay.
Much of the nitrogen and phosphorus in rivers and coastal estuaries stems from fertilizers that are applied and not recaptured in our agricultural system. Not only does this pollute our waterways, but it is wasteful. Phosphorus deposits are limited, and many of the largest are found overseas.
Agriculture feeds all of us. The challenge before us is to feed an increasing number of Americans without damaging the environment that provides clean air and water for us as well.
Photo, taken on November 6, 2011 using a Canon EOS REBEL T1i, courtesy of Matt MacGillavray via Flickr.