Egg producers win national award

FORT RECOVERY, Ohio – Schwieterman Egg Farm Partnership in Fort Recovery, Ohio, received the Family Farm Environmental Excellence award at the 2005 International Poultry Exposition.
The award is given by the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association in recognition of exemplary environmental stewardship by family farmers engaged in poultry and egg production.
Schwieterman Egg Farm Partnership was chosen as the winner from the North Central region.
Ownership. Schwieterman Egg Farm Partnership is owned and operated by Ron and Kasey Schwieterman, a father-son combination. The farm produces eggs for Fort Recovery Equity.
The Schwieterman family has been active in the Ohio community since the 1930s, when Arnold Schwieterman purchased the 17-acre farm.
The farm today is run by second- and third-generation family members.
Mortality. Schwieterman Egg Farm’s approach to mortality management is somewhat different from most farms because few poultry farms in Ohio compost their dead birds using the techniques Schwieterman uses.
The family has chosen composting over rendering because of the risk that incoming rendering trucks pose for outside diseases find their way into their flocks.
Instead, all Schwieterman Egg Farm mortality is covered with a carbon source (manure and old silage), a combination that reduces itself constantly through natural chemical processes.
Looking beyond. The Schwietermans believe that every poultry grower has a responsibility to look beyond his or her own farm to the surrounding community and its residents.
Schwieterman Egg Farm has a responsibility to those who live near their operations to prevent odors and pests from becoming a quality-of-life issue.
Schwieterman Egg Farm Partnership was chosen as one among six other farms around the nation to receive this award.
Judging. Applicants were rated in several categories, including dry litter or liquid manure management, nutrient management planning, community involvement, wildlife enhancement techniques, innovative nutrient management techniques, and participation in educational or outreach programs.
Award winners received a Family Farm Environmental Excellence plaque; $1,000 cash; an expense-paid trip to the International Poultry Exposition in Atlanta; and a farm profile on the association’s Web site, www.poultryegg.org.