News Room

In closing arguments today Perdue’s attorneys reiterated that this lawsuit is not about stopping pollution but part of the Waterkeeper Alliance’s war on the poultry industry declared at the Eastern Shore Poultry Summit in 2007.  We are confident the judge will see that the Waterkeeper Alliance and Assateague Coastal Trust came to court to advance an agenda rather than right a wrong.  

This case should have ended three years ago when Assateague Coastal Trust and the Waterkeeper Alliance found out that they incorrectly identified legal biosolids as a pile of chicken manure. Instead, these radical environmental activists used the taxpayer-funded University of Maryland Environmental Law Clinic to wage a campaign against contemporary animal agriculture – and against a hardworking Maryland farm family.  The trial has finally come to a close, and the University of Maryland Environmental Law Clinic, despite three years of changing accusations, have failed to prove that the poultry houses on the Hudson family farm were a source of pollution, or that Perdue is responsible for the actions of its independent contractors.  

We appreciate Judge Nickerson’s recognition of the importance of this case as evidenced by his attention and diligence in conducting the trial.  Despite his giving the plaintiff every opportunity to prove their case, we look forward to being vindicated by his ruling.