Idyllic scene or … fly paradise? Residents blame insect swarms on chicken farms
Residents blame insect swarms on chicken farms
COLLOMSVILLE — A number of Limestone Township homeowners and farmers who have been dealing with fly infestations, which they accredit to nearby poultry farms, held a meeting in Limestone Township Monday night.
The Limestone Township Municipal building on Route 44 was packed with residents voicing their opinions over a growing fly problem. The flies, which began to swarm around a neighborhood in upper Collomsville, first appeared after the building of a local poultry farm, according to Shari Ulsamer, who has dealt with the flies swarming around her home for three years.
“We can’t use our property,” said Ulsamer. “We have a huge porch we haven’t used in three years, and it was so bad last year that we hardly left our basement.”
Ulsamer has been a leading force in dealing with the problem, along with husband Jerry Ulsamer and neighbor Nancy Waldman.
According to Ulsamer, Monday’s meeting was the highest attendance that meetings for the issue have had.
“It seems to be spreading up the mountain,” Ulsamer said. “We have already heard from people along Route 654 and in Collomsville.”
In attendance for the meeting were Lycoming County Commissioners
Tony R. Mussare and Rick Mirabito, and Maria Payan, of the non-profit the Socially Responsible Agricultural Project.
Both homeowners and farmers in attendance were agreed that the problem stems from a farm in the area that neighbors felt has not treated manure correctly.
Neither the farmer, Sam Stoltzfus III, nor a representative for the co-op Stoltzfus is a part of, Alderfer Eggs, attended the meeting.
However, Mike Alderfer, a spokesman for the co-op, communicated with Payan.
“Mr. Stoltzfus and I did discuss the high fly numbers he had a few weeks ago,” Alderfer wrote in an email to Payan. “He knew it was a problem so he took action to bring it under control. He said that he knew his manure was highly concentrated with fly activity. He removed his manure and started on a daily regiment of spraying an organically approved fly spray on his chicken, cow and horse barns every evening. He told me that since he has done these things his fly situation has improved dramatically.”
The residents in attendance admitted that the flies had seemed to thin out over the past week but wanted to open up a better line of communication between the farmers and the residents.
Along with Stoltzfus’ farm, the farm belonging to his son, Sam Stoltzfus IV, also was brought into question.
Peter Miller a representative for Organic Valley, a co-op that works with the poultry farm, explained that the practices of the farmer, Stoltzfus’ son, were in line with the regulations of Organic Valley.
Mirabito suggested that those in attendance create a committee to oversee the problem and to speak with the farmers in question as well as the co-ops with which they are affiliated.
The idea for the committee was well-liked among the meeting and a register was passed around for those who would want to join.
But many of the community members who have dealt with the problem for three years said they want to see an improvement before they applaud the efforts of the meeting.
“We have to let them know we are watching,” said homeowner Steve Waldman.
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