LEAVENWORTH, Kan. - Plans for a Tyson Food poultry complex in Tonganoxie have been put on hold.
The company released an open letter on Tuesday that read in part:
“We still have interest in Leavenworth County, but will prioritize the other locations in Kansas and other states that have expressed support.”
This announcement came just a day after the Leavenworth County Commission voted to revoke a bond support resolution for the plant.
“We’d still like to get to know each other, however, after Monday’s reversal of support by the Leavenworth County commissioners, we will put our plans in your community on hold,” the letter read.
Tyson's Foods, Inc. made the announcement to build a $320 million poultry complex with a processing plant, hatchery, and feed mill in early September.
Some Tonganoxie residents who were against the Tyson Foods plant expressed their concern through public forms. They even grabbed the attention of environmental activist Erin Brockovich.
Some residents were concerned about low-paying jobs. They were 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 would have employed 1,600 people and contracted with northeast Kansas farmers and ranchers to raise chickens.
But some residents are skeptical how much that will benefit Tonganoxie.
"They can claim 1,600 jobs but that's not all going to be 1,600 people out of a community that only houses 5,000 at the moment," said Travis McGraw, a local farmer.
Others are excited about Tyson's plans to put the project on hold but remain skeptical that the issue was put to rest.
"It's a small step. We're excited but the fight's not over," said Steve Skeet, a local businessman. "It could just be something Tyson's saying so that the community backs off and doesn't pay attention to their next move."
The facility was scheduled to begin production in mid-2019 and would have produced pre-packaged trays of fresh chicken for retail grocery stores nationwide.
