Attorney General Gentner Drummond has publicly criticized Tyson Foods for what he describes as a misinformation campaign related to the ongoing lawsuit over water quality in the Illinois River watershed. Drummond accuses the poultry company of attempting to intimidate Oklahoma residents and avoid responsibility for environmental issues.
“Tyson Foods is engaging in shameless gamesmanship, using Oklahoma’s hardworking farmers as pawns while threatening to withdraw contracts,” said Drummond. “But Tyson’s actions speak louder than their empty threats. Even as they claim to be concerned about this litigation, Tyson is actively working to acquire additional processing capacity in the watershed. Oklahomans deserve better than corporate intimidation tactics from a company that has repeatedly shown it prioritizes profits over people and environmental responsibility.”
The legal dispute began in 2005 when Oklahoma filed suit against several major poultry companies, alleging that phosphorus pollution from chicken waste was harming the Illinois River watershed. In 2023, U.S. District Judge Gregory Frizzell ruled in favor of Oklahoma and instructed both parties to agree on remedies. After negotiations failed, a six-day hearing reaffirmed that the watershed remains impaired. The state proposed penalties exceeding $100 million against companies including Tyson, Cargill, George’s, Simmons, and Cal-Maine for violating environmental regulations. Drummond also asked that these companies fund restoration efforts for the affected area.
Recently, some local officials and lawmakers have urged Drummond to reconsider or reduce the scope of the lawsuit after Tyson warned it might cut back operations in Oklahoma due to ongoing litigation. However, reports indicate that Tyson is seeking to expand its presence by acquiring Cargill’s former processing plant in Springdale, Arkansas—an action that contradicts claims about reducing operations because of legal pressures.
“Let’s be clear about what’s really happening here,” Drummond continued. “This isn’t about protecting farmers. It’s about protecting corporate profits at the expense of Oklahoma’s natural resources.”
Drummond clarified that individual farmers are not defendants in this case; instead, the lawsuit targets large poultry corporations responsible for waste management practices. The state’s objective is to enforce laws designed to protect water quality in both the Illinois River and Lake Tenkiller areas. Despite this focus on corporations rather than individuals, some poultry companies have attempted to frame the lawsuit as an attack on agriculture more broadly.
“Not one single farmer has been sued by the state, but these corporations continue to hide behind a false narrative, using hardworking farm families as human shields to avoid accountability,” emphasized Drummond. “A thriving poultry industry and clean water can absolutely coexist. What we cannot accept is allowing massive corporations to pollute our waterways without consequence. Oklahoma is simply asking Tyson Foods to conduct its business responsibly and comply with laws—the same laws that protect the health and economic future of all Oklahomans.”
