Not running afoul with fowl
Walker County poultry committee appointed to study best practices
Eight Walker County residents have been appointed to a committee to study best practices for poultry houses.
Walker County Commissioner Shannon Whitfield on Feb. 13 appointed chairman Mike Bunn, Betts Berry, John Howard, Eugene Ridley, Cindy Askew, Wade Hutcheson, Phillip Cantrell and Sam Bowman to a committee to study the conditions, needs, issues and problems related to poultry houses and to recommend any actions or amendments to existing zoning ordinances deemed necessary or appropriate.
The study is needed to review existing land-use regulations and restrictions to
provide for the continued success of local farms while also providing protection for residents, he said. The review should include issues affecting property values, public nuisances, property rights and future development.
In the resolution appointing the committee, Whitfield observed:
♦ Poultry is the largest commodity produced in the county, with about 200 poultry houses generating a 2018 farm gate value of $56.7 million.
♦ The county ranks 14th in the state in the number of farms, with 79,706 acres of farmland covering nearly 25 percent of the county’s geographic area.
♦ The University of Georgia Extension finds poultry production to be the state’s No. 1 agriculture enterprise, accounting for about 50 percent of the value of farm products produced.
♦ Businesses and individuals working in other sectors, such as banking, real estate, accounting and transportation depend on the poultry industry for their livelihood.
Last month the Walker County Planning Commission, while discussing potential ordinance amendments related to poultry houses and livestock feed lots, said officials are attempting to balance the demands of residential growth with the county’s agricultural heritage.