Odor Control Plan

Senate Bill 1693 Summary

Litter Storage Brochure

Overview 

                 Poultry Farm

In 2001, the 77th Legislature amended the Texas Water Code to require all persons who own or operate a poultry facility to implement and maintain a Water Quality Management Plan that is certified by the State Soil and Water Conservation Board.  The law requires all existing poultry farms to have a certified WQMP to operate and requires new farms to have a certified WQMP prior to placing birds on the farm.

In 2009, the 81st Legislature added requirements for certain farms that could require an Odor Control Plan.  Refer to the Senate Bill 1693 Summary for more information.  

What is a WQMP? 

            Poultry Incinerator

A water quality management plan (WQMP) is a site-specific document indicating when, where, and how to implement conservation practices following standards in the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Field Office Technical Guide. These plans are tailored to each landowner's conservation needs and management goals while ensuring adherence to state water quality laws.

 Best Management Practices  

         Poultry Waste Storage Facility

Poultry growers in 48 counties in Texas have received technical and/or financial assistance from the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, through local soil and water conservation districts, to implement practices to abate non-point source pollution from their facilities. Some of those practices include: incinerators, composters, and freezers for mortality management, waste storage facilities for manure management, and nutrient management plans for proper land application of manure as fertilizer.

For More Information:

• Important State Laws Affecting Texas Poutlry Producers (PDF,  105 kB)
• Supplemental Guidence to Water Quality Management Plans for All Dry-Litter Poultry Operations (PDF,  342 kB)
• Poultry Rules
• Poultry WQMP Information (129 kB)
• WQMP Rules (PDF)
• Senate Bill 1339 (PDF, 17 kB)
• Catastrophic Animal Mortality Management (Burial Method) Technical Guide (PDF, 185 kB)
• Impacts of Poultry Litter Application to Cropland and Rangeland Watersheds
• Mortality Composting Regulations for Animal Feeding Operations (PDF, 117 kB)
• Poultry Composting Job Sheet (PDF, 333 kB)

Contact Information:

For additional information call the TSSWCB Poultry Program at 936-462-7020, or send an e-mail to poultry [at] tsswcb [dot] texas [dot] gov.