Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond has announced a settlement agreement between the State of Oklahoma and George’s, Inc., resolving claims related to poultry litter pollution in the Illinois River Watershed, while Governor Kevin Stitt criticized the deal as insufficient to address broader impacts on Oklahoma poultry producers.
Under the agreement, George’s will pay $5 million to the state for remediation, conservation projects, and attorney fees. The company also agreed to remove poultry litter from the Illinois River Watershed over a seven-year period, reducing the amount remaining in the watershed from no more than 40 percent to no more than 20 percent. Additional terms require George’s to pay $250,000 for a special master to monitor compliance and prohibit litter removed from the watershed from being applied to land in other nutrient-sensitive watersheds in Oklahoma. In exchange, the state releases all claims against the company.
Drummond described the settlement as a pragmatic outcome that balances environmental protection with economic considerations.
“This settlement demonstrates that fair, good-faith negotiations can produce outcomes that serve everyone’s interests—protecting Oklahoma’s water resources while respecting the economic realities facing our agricultural partners,” Drummond said.
The settlement follows a federal court judgment issued last month holding multiple poultry companies jointly responsible for funding long-term cleanup efforts in the Illinois River Watershed and imposing restrictions on waste application practices. Drummond’s office said the agreement with George’s does not affect ongoing proceedings involving other defendants, including Tyson, Cobb Vantress, Cargill, Simmons, Peterson Farms, and Cal-Maine.
Governor Stitt, however, said the settlement falls short of addressing concerns shared by poultry growers statewide and renewed his call for broader action.
“This new settlement only helps one grower in Oklahoma, and my concern is for all Oklahoma growers,” Stitt said in a statement. “Today I renew my call for Drummond to request a stay from Judge Frizzell to protect all growers and continue settlement discussions.”
Stitt also said he wants additional state officials involved in future negotiations, including the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Environment, to ensure what he described as full representation of both agricultural interests and natural resource protections.
The settlement with George’s marks the first agreement reached since the federal ruling, as litigation and negotiations involving the remaining poultry companies continue.
