The Delmarva Chicken Association has launched a new, free mobile app, littr., that is designed to help growers anywhere on Delmarva who have poultry litter find customers seeking to use it as a valuable fertilizer.

DCA developed the app by partnering with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Campbell Foundation for the Environment, the Delmarva Land & Litter Collaborative and Common Logic.

Creating this app is one way DCA is stepping in to help growers during the final implementation of Maryland’s Phosphorous Management Tool, when many growers may need to find other users of litter.

Over the past five months, DCA has worked closely with key stakeholders, including chicken growers, grain farmers, litter brokers and other service providers to develop a tool that can be used on any smartphone or tablet to move litter in Delmarva’s $3.5 billion chicken community.

“littr. is designed to link poultry growers who have litter — a locally sourced, organic and slow-release fertilizer — with those who need it, from grain farmers to mushroom growers to alternative users and everyone in between,” says Holly Porter, DCA’s executive director. “We know there are farmers who want litter for their farms instead of purchasing commercial fertilizer, but they aren’t sure how to source it. This app can bridge that supplier-customer gap, and in the process, help farmers profit while also protecting water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and coastal watersheds.”

The nitrogen and phosphorus in chicken litter makes a highly effective fertilizer for crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat, and more than 95% of all poultry litter is recycled to fertilize crops.

Improved litter management has allowed farmers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to reduce agricultural nitrogen entering the bay by 39%, and reduce agricultural phosphorus reaching the bay by 25%.    

Here are steps to get started selling or buying chicken litter:

To learn more, visit littr.io or contact [email protected].

Source: Delmarva Chicken Association, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.