Tyson Foods and Cargill have settled a 20-year-long legal dispute with Oklahoma over the alleged pollution of the Illinois River Watershed.
The settlement, announced by Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond on Thursday (12 February), will see the meat giants fund remediation and conservation efforts in the watershed.
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Under the consent judgments filed, Tyson and Cargill will pay $19m and $6.5m, respectively.
As part of the settlements, the companies agreed to “progressively” increase the amount of poultry litter removed from the area. They will also pay into a fund for a “special master” to monitor compliance, cover all costs associated with litter removal and contribute to a remediation fund.
In return for Oklahoma releasing all claims, Tyson and Cargill also agreed to voluntarily dismiss their appeals of a December judgment that found them liable for the pollution.
In a statement to Just Food, a Cargill spokesperson said it “no longer operates a facility or maintains any contract growers” within the area.
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By GlobalData“As a result, we have already fulfilled any litter removal obligations outlined in the settlement.”
Nathan McKay, the president of poultry for Tyson, said: “We believe this resolution is in the best interest of our growers and their communities in north-east Oklahoma and north-west Arkansas.”
The lawsuit, originally filed in 2005 by then-attorney general Drew Edmondson, targeted companies that also included George’s, Simmons Foods, Cal-Maine Foods and Peterson Farms.
It alleged that runoff from poultry litter used as fertiliser leached phosphorus into the river.
The federal court ruled in favour of the state in January 2023.
However, the defendants sought the dismissal of the suit, citing a “significant reduction” in phosphorus levels since the time of trial.
In June, the federal court rejected that argument, saying phosphorus levels remained “alarmingly high”.
A final judgement was issued in December, which held the companies jointly responsible and ordered cleanup measures and restrictions on waste application.
“The decision to settle by Tyson and Cargill makes one thing unmistakably clear: corporate accountability is not optional, and protecting Oklahoma’s water can, and must, go hand in hand with a strong poultry and agricultural industry,” a statement from the attorney general’s office said.
“These settlements provide a path to move forward together, giving certainty for growers, protecting jobs and safeguarding Oklahoma’s waters for future generations.”
George’s reached its own settlement with the state in January, agreeing to pay $5m for remediation efforts.
Proceedings are ongoing against the remaining defendants.
