Kansas county urged to drop bid for Tyson Foods complex

A group of people opposed to the idea of a Tyson Foods poultry complex in Sedgwick County, Kansas, urged the county commission to withdraw its bid for the proposed facility.

(Andrea Gantz)
(Andrea Gantz)

A group of people opposed to the idea of a Tyson Foods poultry complex in Sedgwick County, Kansas, urged the county commission to withdraw its bid for the proposed facility.

Sedgwick County, which includes Wichita, the city’s most populous city, has been identified as three Kansas communities that are finalists for Tyson’s proposed poultry plant. Other Kansas counties in the running are Cloud and Montgomery.

“Tyson would burden our water supply, sewer system, roads, schools and healthcare facilities at a time when the Kansas budget has made devastating cuts in these areas,” Robin Ulmer told the commissioners.

“Let Tyson go into a town who needs the employment and wants the burden to keep their town alive. We don’t need it. We can do better,” she said.

Commissioner David Unruh, according to a Wichita Eagle report, told Ulmer that the commissioners will keep an open mind on the matter.

Sedgwick County, in south-central Kansas, submitted a proposal to become the site for a Tyson Foods broiler complex that is to include a poultry plant, hatchery and feed mill. It made its proposal after the company backed away from plans to build in Leavenworth County, in the northeastern part of the state, amid resistance from community members and elected officials.  

While Tyson Foods does not have a presence in Sedgwick County, it does have two Prepared Foods facilities in bordering Reno County.

One Sedgwick County commissioner, shortly after Tyson revealed that it was exploring site options beyond Leavenworth County, took to Twitter to let the company know the county he serves is interested.

“@SedgwickCounty would like @TysonFoods 1500+ jobs! @TysonFoodsCEO please come visit us - we are open for business! #ksleg @TysonFoodsLive,” Commissioner Michael O’Donnell tweeted.

The other two potential Kansas locations under consideration are in other parts of the state. Cloud County is in north-central Kansas, while Montgomery County is in the southeastern part of the state. 

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