Delmarva Chicken Association honors outstanding growers

Delmarva Chicken Association announced the recipients of its Outstanding Grower awards, honoring 10 farm families in Delmarva’s chicken community with recognition as exemplary farmers raising broiler chickens.

Each grower is an independent farmer raising chickens under contract for one of Delmarva’s five chicken companies.

“Time and again, Delmarva chicken growers serve as examples for the chicken community and the nation,” said Holly Porter, DCA executive director. “When growers stand and speak at meetings and public hearings, their voices command attention and respect. When they share their everyday rewards and challenges on social media, they help people who never set foot on a farm understand how chickens are raised. And they are valued in their communities by all who understand their roles as stewards of the land.”

Local honorees are Jay Bonk, a Laurel grower who operates two chicken houses and raises chickens for Amick Farms; Lemston McCrea, a Laurel grower whose two chicken houses produce chicken for Perdue Farms; Brenda and Keith Powell of Milford, who operate six chicken houses and grow for Mountaire Farms; and John and Carlene Swartzentruber of Bridgeville, whose two chicken houses produce birds for Mountaire Farms.

"I don’t have any magic that I’m doing. I’m just adamant about doing what needs to be done and putting in the time out there," said Bonk.

“Anybody who decides to grow chickens, you’ve really got to love that animal, that fowl, that bird, to do this," said McCrea."You got to have this love in your heart that you want to do this, that you want it to work for you.”

"A quarter-million chickens every eight weeks is a lot of people we feed," Brenda Powell said. "And we have something we can pass on to our kids, and hopefully, their kids."

"When you get done and the birds do well, you can see the investment of time and things that you did," John Swartzentruber said. "There’s a reward financially when you do well, and there’s a reward in just having a good flock of chickens."

Other Delmarva growers honored were: Shane Cohee, a Hurlock, Md. grower with three chicken houses who raises chickens for Allen Harim; Jason and Courtney Dryden, Westover, Md. growers with eight chicken houses who grow for Mountaire Farms; Andy and Bonnie Lewis, Newark, Md. growers operating two chicken houses who produce chickens for Tyson; Rick and Diane Smith of Pittsville, Md., who operate two chicken houses and grow for Mountaire Farms; Tonya Timmons, a Snow Hill, Md. grower with two chicken houses who raises chickens for Perdue Farms; and Amy Tran, a Westover, Md. grower with five chicken houses who grows for Amick Farms.