Tyson Foods was caught by surprise in September when residents of Tonganoxie and Leavenworth County, Kansas, made it clear that they did not want the company to build a broiler complex in their community.
That public outcry led public officials to withdraw their support for the $320 million complex and Tyson Foods to re-evaluate where it would locate the plant.
Tyson Foods CEO Tom Hayes, who said this is the first time since the 1990s that Tyson Foods has announced plans to build a new plant, indicated that this was a learning experience for the company.
While speaking to reporters on a November 13 conference call, Hayes said that Tyson Foods worked with Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback, state representatives and leaders from Leavenworth County to develop what they thought was a good plan. Tonganoxie area residents disagreed.
“I don’t know how in touch all the officials were with what the direct local sentiment was,” Hayes said.
As Tyson Foods continues to narrow its search for a new location for the poultry complex, which is to include a poultry plant, feed mill and hatchery, the company wants to “have a really strong pulse” on what the residents of the community want.
Search for location extends beyond Kansas
Hayes admitted that reopening its search for a new poultry complex location has been a setback, and he did not reveal any possible dates concerning when a related announcement will be made.
“The overwhelming support from other communities that we have seen that are trying to attract us to their areas has been really positive,” said Hayes. “We feel like although we will be delayed slightly here, we will be in the market at some point with more discussion about where that plant will be located.
The reopened search for a site has revealed that there are many communities that are interested in being the home for the Tyson Foods expansion project, Hayes said.
Three Kansas counties – Sedgwick, Cloud and Montgomery – have all been identified as interested communities that are under heavy consideration, although a grass roots movement in Sedgwick County, which includes Wichita, the state’s largest city, has revealed some opposition. However, Hayes said the search is not focused solely on Kansas.
“The reaction has come from states beyond even Kansas. … Other states are also certainly reaching out to us, asking us to come take a look at them.”
