SEMINOLE COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) – Residents across Georgia are raising concerns over large-scale poultry operations, saying the projects could change the future of rural communities.

In Seminole County’s Iron City, a proposed chicken breeder farm would include three houses holding nearly 14,000 chickens each. According to public records, the site would sit within 600 feet of nearby homes. Families in the area argue that waste runoff could flow into Dry Creek, then into Spring Creek, and eventually into Lake Seminole.

Citizen-led maps and petitions show overwhelming opposition, with residents warning that property values, health, and water quality are at stake. Farmers and families say Georgia’s current regulations don’t go far enough to protect communities from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs).

Local rancher Matt Spooner questioned county leadership, saying:

“If they’re beneficial to Seminole County, and the county commissioners are behind them 100%, then why didn’t our commissioner let them put the houses in front of his land? Why did he retain ownership of the land in front of his house to push them back here onto us?”

Residents also say they were told in a commissioner’s meeting that no homes were near the site—yet at least two stand within 1,000 feet, and another mobile home will soon be placed directly across from the proposed houses. Signs opposing the project now dot neighbors’ yards.

Tammy Reese-Grimsley, another resident, said the farms would put families’ health at risk and undo conservation work already underway.

“One week we have articles in the paper about cleaning up the lake and the next week we’re showing where the poop is going into, where chicken houses are being built right into Dry Creek, right into Spring Creek, and right into Lake Seminole. You need to stop this if you’re going to clean that up. It makes no sense,” she said.

The Seminole County Board of Commissioners declined to comment on the proposal. However, County Manager Paula Granger confirmed that a public hearing on the matter is scheduled for Oct. 13 and 14.

Georgia is the number-one broiler-producing state in the U.S., and opponents argue that the rapid expansion of large-scale poultry operations is threatening both community health and rural stability.

The fight is not isolated to Seminole County. In Coffee County, families are also pushing back against a proposed 60-house chicken operation along the Satilla River, raising similar concerns about pollution, overcrowding, and quality of life.

Community members across both counties say they want leaders to slow down approvals and carefully weigh the long-term impact before moving forward.

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