ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
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Arsenic in Poultry Litter: Organic Regulations (Summary)

Most of the arsenic used as an antibiotic in commercial broiler production ends up in the litter. Poultry litter is often used by organic producers as a fertilizer and source of organic matter for soil. Using this litter as a soil amendment is not prohibited by the National Organic Program, but 7CFR §205.203(c) of the Rule requires that “the producer must manage plant and animal materials to maintain or improve soil organic matter content in a manner that does not contribute to contamination of crops, soil, or water by plant nutrients, pathogenic organisms, heavy metals, or residues of prohibited substances.” This publication looks at the amount of arsenic in poultry litter and the potential for it building up in soil and contaminating water. Poultry litter applied at agronomic levels, using good soil conservation practices, generally will not raise arsenic concentrations sufficiently over background levels to pose environmental or human heath risks. However, recent studies show that more than 70% of the arsenic in uncovered piles of poultry litter can be dissolved by rainfall and potentially leach into lakes or streams. Thus, organic producers must take care when they handle and apply poultry litter.

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Last Updated December 28, 2007

ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service is managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and is funded under a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Business-Cooperative Service. Visit the NCAT Web site for more information on our sustainable agriculture projects.

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