Darlington's Mitch Tyner is S.C. Poultry Federation Grower of the Year

Darlington County farmer Mitch Tyner hasn’t slowed a cluck since being named the S.C. Poultry Federation Grower of the Year last month.

He got in 122,000 new chicks this week that will be in residence for 41 to 44 days in four huge poultry houses in the Syracuse Community, where his 500-acre farm is located.

Tyner has grown chickens for Perdue in Dillon since 1993. Perdue nominated him for Producer of the Year. He beat out three other nominees.

Among others, Tyner was selected because of his dedication to educating the public about stewardship of the land, maintaining a safe environment and developing policies to preserve agricultural land in the United States.

“The poultry industry is such a valuable commodity in South Carolina,” he said. “It is wonderful to know that I am being recognized for doing an excellent job in providing a high quality environment for poultry in our area.”

Tyner said the most critical part in raising the chicks is the first and last two weeks. They have to be kept cool the first two weeks and weight gain is imperative the last two.

His goal is to produce healthy birds and do the best job he can for Perdue. He also constantly scans the horizon for ways to upgrade his operation to make it more environmentally efficient.

Take his poultry houses, for example. He uses fluorescent light bulbs because they last eight to 10 times longer than incandescent light bulbs while using 75 percent less energy.

Then, in 2006, he converted the houses to solid sidewalls to protect the birds from extreme temperature fluctuations. He insulated cracks to prevent air leaks and conserve propane and electricity.

Tyner said he applies manure from the chicken houses to cropland. This helps maintain the nutrients in the soil as part of his written nutrient management plan.

And he uses global navigation satellite system technology to map the farms, thus ensuring proper application and soil samples are used to determine nutrients needed.

Tyner is assisted by his son, Jason, a 2008 Clemson graduate and a full-time helper at the state-of-the-art poultry houses.

Tyner said he stresses “being a good neighbor” to all who work with him. A tree buffer was installed around the chicken houses to decrease noise and odors. His manure is covered and kept dry at all times.

“We maintain our farm so that our neighbors will feel that their community is safe environmentally,” he said. “I take great pride in knowing that the most environmentally safe practices are being used to maintain land that is safe and profitable for generations to come. Farmland is constantly changing, and we are losing valuable farms to commercial and residential properties daily.”

Tyner also firmly believes in education. He didn’t graduate from Clemson when he went there to play football in the early 1970s. But, he returned and received an undergraduate degree in 2002.

Tyner is a fourth-generation farmer. He began farming in 1975 under the tutelage of his grandfather, Ellie Tyner, and his father, Eugene Tyner.