Nitrogen emissions from poultry operations have substantial impact on adjacent pine plantations. Pitch canker incidence and severity in plantations near poultry operations in north central Florida have been identified as a significant problem. The air transported residue from the houses is implicated as a contributing factor in disease development that can lead to stem deformities and mortality. However, it is not well documented what other nutritional changes/imbalances may result from high nitrogen loading of a stand. This is a potential concern given the interaction of nitrogen with the uptake and translocation of other nutrients. The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate the effects of nitrogen loading on the cation and phosphorus status of slash pine foliage and (2) investigate the contribution of these nutrients to the spatial pattern of pitch canker incidence. The foliage of seven separate slash pine plantations adjacent to poultry operations were sampled in a 50 x 50 m grid and analyzed for total calcium, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus. All spatial patterns confirmed that cations and phosphorous in the tree foliage were reduced adjacent to the poultry houses. The reduced concentrations of cations in tree foliage adjacent to poultry houses were presumably due to an interaction between nitrogen and cation uptake. The spatial pattern of decreased foliar nutrient concentrations followed the same general patterns as pitch canker incidence. The role of high nitrogen loading vs. tree nutrient imbalances and their implications for accentuating pitch canker disease is not well understood. These data suggest that further investigations along those lines are warranted.