GEORGETOWN, Del. — Rick and Beth Weaver of Sudlersville, Md. have earned Delmarva Chicken Association’s 2024 George ‘Bud’ Malone Environmental Award.
The Weavers, who raise organic chickens for Coleman on their farm, are the third recipients of DCA’s award for outstanding on-farm conservation and environmental design. The Weavers received a plaque and a $500 prize, and may now be nominated for USPOULTRY’s Family Farm Environmental Excellence Award.
“When you hand your farm off to the next generation, it’s in a lot better shape if you have invested in conservation practices,” Rick Weaver said. “It’s something you can be proud of.”
The Weavers operate two Eastern Shore chicken farms, one started in 2007 and another that took in its first flock of birds in 2017. They employ several conservation measures, including a solar energy system, pollinator-friendly buffers and swale plantings, an advanced stormwater management system that includes a sediment-capturing forebay, and tall grass plantings in front of chicken house ventilation fans to capture dust, noise and odor.
“Mowing the pasture at the lowest point where the water leaves the area was challenging because of it always being wet,” Weaver said. “The easiest fix was to stop mowing that area, so between the barns, on the lane side, we planted wildflowers as a pollinator area in the low areas by the mouth of the drainage pipes. Some of the flowers are now even coming up in the pasture areas.”
The Weavers were recognized at a joint meeting of DCA’s Government Relations Committee, Environmental Committee, and Grower Committee in November. “Things are well graded and well maintained. Even weed control and other tricky parts of being organic producers, they are on top of that,” said Liz Warren, DCA’s agricultural conservation specialist. She tours farms that apply for the Malone Award. “They clearly want to be good neighbors in their community.”
The award’s namesake, Bud Malone, had the foresight to begin DCA’s nationally recognized vegetative environmental buffers program. He remains involved in DCA and Delmarva’s chicken community. This program has resulted in the planting of thousands of trees, shrubs and grasses on family-owned poultry farms on Delmarva and led to improved relations between farm owners and neighboring property owners.
This award shines a spotlight on Delmarva chicken growers who integrate vegetative environmental buffers and other conservation measures, ensuring their farms are sustainable and are good neighbors. In 2023, the Malone Award was presented to Rob Hawkins, who owns Seven Acres Farm in Laurel, Del. The 2022 Malone Award winners, John and Linda Brown of Harrington, Del., were later recognized with the USPOULTRY Family Farm Environmental Excellence Award.
Practices considered by DCA’s Grower Committee in selecting a winning farm include:
- Heavy use pads, well-maintained and well-kept
- Vegetative environmental buffers around chicken houses; at property lines; and around ponds and manure sheds
- Pollinator-friendly vegetative buffer plots
- Overall cleanliness
- Grass buffers near tunnel fans to contain dust, feathers, and odor
- Solar energy on the farm
- Mortality freezers or other excellent mortality composting practices
- Commendable appearance and maintenance of manure storage structures
- Well-maintained farm roads
- Weed control around chicken houses
- Proper drainage, including stormwater ponds
- Other adaptations or practices the grower has made to benefit neighbor relations
About Delmarva Chicken Association
Delmarva Chicken Association, founded in 1948, has been the Delmarva chicken industry’s voice as the premier membership association focusing on advocacy, education and member relations for more than 75 years. DCA’s vision is to be the most-respected chicken organization in the United States. For more information about the Delmarva Chicken Association, visit www.dcachicken.com or call 302-856-9037.
–Delmarva Chicken Association
