The US Poultry & Egg Association is accepting applications for the 2026 Clean Water Awards. The awards honor the outstanding performance of wastewater treatment plants serving poultry and egg processing facilities. Winners will be announced at USPOULTRY’s Environmental Management Seminar to be held Sept. 17 – 18, at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Destin, Fla.

“USPOULTRY is proud to sponsor this annual awards program, recognizing facilities that demonstrate outstanding commitment to environmental excellence,” said Bill Griffith, Peco Foods and USPOULTRY chair. “Poultry and egg companies continue to lead with a strong focus on environmental stewardship and responsible resource management. Through the implementation of sustainable and efficient wastewater treatment systems, these facilities set the standard for environmental best practices across the industry.”

The annual program honors facilities in two categories: full treatment and pretreatment. Full treatment facilities completely treat wastewater before discharging effluent into a receiving stream or land application system, while pretreatment facilities discharge treated effluent to publicly owned wastewater treatment systems for additional processing. USPOULTRY member companies may submit up to three nominations per category, with past award winners ineligible for five years. The application deadline is June 19.

An evaluation committee comprised of professional engineers and academic experts will review submissions and select semifinalists in each category. Final award recipients will be determined following site visits, during which semifinalists will have the opportunity to showcase their operations. Winners will receive a trophy, be featured on the USPOULTRY website and receive support from USPOULTRY in promoting their achievement at the local, regional and national levels.

The winners of the 2025 Clean Water Awards were Perdue Foods in Lewiston, N.C., in the full treatment category and Tyson Foods in Danville, Va., facility in the pretreatment category.

Source: US Poultry & Egg Association