TONGANOXIE, Kan. - Controversy surrounding plans for a chicken processing plant in Tonganoxie has caught the eye of Kansas native Erin Brockovich.
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"My inbox is full of requests from the good people of Tonganoxie, Kansas asking for my help in fighting a massive chicken processing plant in their community," the Lawrence native said in a Facebook post on Thursday.
Earlier in the week, Tyson's Foods, Inc. made the announcement to build a $320 million poultry complex with a processing plant, hatchery, and feed mill.
"Mothers have sent me photographs of their children at the local baseball field just blocks from the location of the proposed slaughter house," Brockovich wrote.
As of Friday morning, the post received more than 1,000 shares.
Some Tonganoxie residents who are against the Tyson Foods plant gathered outside the building when the announcement was made on Tuesday.
The protesters are concerned about low-paying jobs. They are also opposed to animal cruelty and worried about the smell from the processing plant.
Residents told 41 Action News their major complaint is about what they say is secrecy surrounding the Tyson announcement.
The operation will employ 1,600 people and contract with northeast Kansas farmers and ranchers to raise chickens.
The facility is currently scheduled to begin production in mid-2019 and will produce pre-packaged trays of fresh chicken for retail grocery stores nationwide.
Brockovich gained national attention almost two decades ago after a movie came out about her case against a power company polluting a water supply in California.
To read Brockovich's Facebook post, click here.
