Citizens opposed to the 60 chicken house poultry operation currently under development on U.S. Highway 441 South in Coffee County near the Satilla River aren’t conceding anything. Monday night, they gathered at Covenant Church to discuss options for possibly stopping the project. Several individuals representing different agencies attended the meeting, including Satilla Riverkeeper Shannon Gregory, State Rep. James Burchett, and Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist James Hunt.
Opponents have cited river pollution, groundwater contamination, odors, a reduction in air quality, threats to the endangered eastern indigo snake and gopher tortoise, noise, traffic, and decreased property values as reasons why they would like to see the project brought to a halt. Monday night was one of the first opportunities they’ve had to ask questions directly to state officials.
The operation is being constructed on a 1,000-acre tract of land on the Coffee County side of the Coffee-Atkinson line. The state EPD has permitted the project and site work has begun.
The Satilla River is the southern boundary of the property. The largest blackwater river located entirely within Georgia, the river is one of the main waterways in the state’s coastal plain. It begins near Fitzgerald and flows 235 miles into the Atlantic Ocean below Brunswick. The river isn’t particularly large on this end but it opens up the farther south it tracks. Below Waycross, it transitions into an impressive waterway.
Opponents to the project fear that the by-products of a commercial poultry farm, especially one the size of this one, would do irreparable harm to the river – and not just in Coffee County. Potential pollutants that enter the river at this site would have an effect throughout its path. Gregory discussed in detail the various threats the farm could pose to the river. “Monitoring and compliance is an issue. This is a self-reporting, self-regulating system. So how are we going to have our checks and balances? Who’s going to be following up with compliance?” she asked.
Harrison Russ, a 2025 graduate of Citizens Christian Academy, lives a mile or so from the site of the poultry farm. “We need to ask ourselves right now, we, and we’re sitting in a church, we are meant to be stewards of the land. What are the deeds that we’re going to be leaving behind if the deeds that we are leaving behind are pouring crap in the Satilla River? Is that what we’re supposed to be doing?” he asked.
Rep. Burchett stated that he lives in Millwood and the Satilla River runs just a few hundred yards from his house. “I’d be downstream of these houses,” he said. Burchett spoke candidly with the group. The project has been permitted by the state Environmental Protection Division. Site preparation has begun. And it won’t be long before actual construction begins. “I’m very straightforward with folks I spoke to about where we are as a state as it pertains to agriculture. We are an agriculture friendly state. And our policies have been devised so that it’s easy to farm in the state of Georgia.”
Burchett continued: “I’ve reached out to our state agencies and this is what I can promise you. I can promise you this: That our agencies – the DNR, Department of Ag and EPD — will do their best to make sure if the project moves forward it’ll be in line with the law. I can’t promise you that the project will be stopped because of the fact that we have such ag friendly policies in the state of Georgia. It is very hard to stop a farm. We’ve just reinforced that over and over again since I’ve been elected since 2019. Every year there’s been an ag friendly policy that we put in place.”
DNR wildlife biologist James Hunt spoke on the issue of eastern indigo snakes and gopher tortoises, both of which are endangered and found on the property. Hunt stated that while both species are entitled to protection under the law, their presence on the property doesn’t necessarily mean that the project can’t move forward. “The presence of gopher tortoises or indigo snakes doesn’t mean that the project can’t happen. It just means that should proceed in a specific way,” he said.
Rod Freeman ended the meeting with a few closing remarks. “As Mr. Burchett clearly stated, our state is pro agriculture, which is a good thing for the most part. So, saying that, 60 chicken houses are coming to our Satilla River unless something drastically changes in the next week. But I will clearly say to y’all, from my two months of thorough investigation, is that we need to go to our county commission and insist that they limit the number of these houses that can come into our county. Because there’s another 60 coming tomorrow in a facility near you. In fact, if you look at our zoning maps, they can actually go into our city limits if they wanted to pay $300,000 an acre and put them right there. And there’s not one thing that would stop them,” he said.