Save the Illinois River, Inc.
24369 E 757 Rd.
Tahlequah, OK 74464-1949
(918) 284-9440

The Scope of the Poultry Industry in Oklahoma by the Tulsa World 12.18

A look at poultry operations in Oklahoma by Curtis Killman, Tulsa World, Dec. 7, 2018

A very informative look at the scope of the poultry industry in Oklahoma, especially in the Illinois River watershed counties of Adair, Cherokee and Delaware Counties.


Take aways of this article:


-As of August 2018, there were 2433 permitted poultry houses in Oklahoma capable of housing over 59 million birds according to the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture Food and Forestry.


-One-half of the registered bird capacity is in Adair and Delaware Counties


-Three companies dominate the poultry integrator market in Oklahoma: Simmons Foods, Tyson Foods and OK Foods


Image title




Poultry operations in northeastern Oklahoma in the Lake Tenkiller and Eucha/Spavinaw watersheds total have a capacity of 15.2 million birds at any one time (nearly eight-million birds in the Lake Tenkiller watershed)


Graph of poultry houses in nutrient-sensitive watersheds