Tyson Foods, Kansas officials answer town’s fears about secrecy, immigrants & chickens
Where will even a fraction of the new 1,600 employees live? How will their kids fit in schools that are nearing or at capacity? Will employees be paid enough to go without public assistance? What if they don't speak English? Why was this such a secret? Have you smelled a meat processing plant?
The biggest issue for
The city council meeting the night of the announcement was particularly rancorous. Three days later, police cited a
"Listen, I understand it's an emotional issue, especially people who have lived here all their lives and they like the small rural atmosphere of the community," Brandau said. "Change is tough on everybody, and it's emotional. And keeping that to a reasonable level so it doesn't get out of hand, that's my biggest concern."
Tyson officials have said they will have a town hall to hear concerns, but it's been tough to find an appropriately sized venue for the crowds. More than 1,000 people gathered Saturday in the city's largest park, where they signed petitions, heard speeches and bought red and white "No Tyson in Tongie" yard signs.
"We're not going to fall into the hatred that's going to drag us down," Tyson opponent
Another big crowd is expected for a town hall with area legislators Friday, as many questions remain on a number of topics. Questions that affect not only
Why the secrecy?
"That consultant had us sign non-disclosure agreements and was not prepared to share the name of the company with us," McClaskey said. "We probably worked not knowing it was Tyson for the first four to six weeks."
Since learning the company was Tyson, teams from
The first visit included officials from the departments of agriculture and commerce as well as Gov.
Brajkovic said he drove down in late August with county development executive
"It was to talk about the project, and my invite was to see where the city was in regard to sanitary sewer," Brajkovic said. "I told them we were considering it but we hadn't taken any formal action on anything."
Some officials at state, county and local levels this summer were made aware of plans after they were asked to sign non-disclosure agreements. All parties involved say this is standard operating procedure.
"Generally when Commerce works on an incentive package, that is confidential by statute," said Commerce Secretary
Landowners reportedly also were contacted through an intermediary who did not identify Tyson as the potential buyer. To avoid identifying Tyson as the company, the project was referred to in meetings of the Leavenworth County Commissioners as "Project Sunset."
Tyson representative
Environmental impact
"I'm just concerned the air quality is going to be such that people aren't going to want to go there anymore," she said. "And that it's going to destroy the environment of going outside to eat or just walk up and down the street in the evening and just enjoy the ambiance of it. And how many are going to decide they aren't going to KU because it stinks?"
Sparkman said Tyson "plants and feed mills are governed by the requirements of the Clean Air Act. We work to meet environmental regulatory requirements including any regulations related to odor."
In 2013, Tyson agreed to pay the federal government
But it's not just the air quality.
"You'll have growers out here like spokes in a wheel in every direction," Holton said. "
Sparkman said most of the water used to produce food in Tyson plants is returned to streams and rivers after being properly treated, and those wastewater treatment systems are government-regulated.
"We'll collaborate closely with the state and federal agencies charged with the protection of water to develop permits designed to cover our uses, and those permits will inform the design of our wastewater treatment facility," he said.
The
"Tyson's comment was water will be clean, there'll be no smell," Jordan said. "I think the governor did a good job of holding their feet to the fire."
Feeder farms
Holton's concerns about growers, feeder farms and poultry suppliers are particularly apt because Tyson expects to contract with between 100 and 200 poultry producers in a 50-mile radius from the plant. That area includes
"They're very adamant that you can only have a maximum of six (poultry) barns on any one property, because they're not interested in facilities that are just 20 or 30 barns on one site, for both welfare and disease concerns," McClaskey said.
State regulators will have authority over specific locations, but Sparkman said Tyson will not contract with any farmer whose houses do not meet their guidelines.
"Those guidelines include required setback distances from residences, schools and churches," Sparkman said. "Tyson will also provide farmers with information on recommended best management practices designed to mitigate any potential odor issues."
On
Employees, their families
At other Tyson plants, the company has drawn a large portion of its workforce from immigrant labor, so much so that people might not recognize the community in a few years after the plant comes to the area, said
"It will change the character of the region," Wolfe said.
The immigration and racial issue has come up several times in social media comments to The Star's coverage, though not necessarily from people who live in the area.
"It's not about race, it's not about ethnicity," Sours said. "It's a little bit about culture, because there's going to be a culture shock for all people involved -- it is for immigrants anyway."
"I've worked with schools that have populations that support these animal operations and it impacts the instruction of the children when not all of them can speak English," Karleskint, a Republican, told The Star. "That concern wasn't voiced (at Saturday's rally), but it has been voiced with me."
McClaskey said she was a little surprised by the education questions because agricultural department research and labor department data show the workers may already be within a 30-mile radius.
"We didn't see the impact being on the schools as significant as the public is seeing it, because we think the majority of the workforce is already in the area," she said.
That data helped Tyson decide the
Sparkman said
"We would hope to hire from as many local communities as possible, and we anticipate some team members will also commute," Sparkman said.
Sparkman also said he couldn't speculate on the needs of the county's schools, but Tyson has given back to communities. He said in the 2016 fiscal year, Tyson donated about 9,600 pounds of food in
Taxes, incentives
"There's a difference between a good job and a bad job," Elliott said. "But the practical objection I have is the millions of dollars in tax breaks and then the various forms of infrastructure that Tyson gets a free ride on. They can get a 10-year hiatus on taxes and then they walk and they abandon a community. And there's nothing you can do."
In addition to the still undisclosed incentive package from the state, Tyson officials said they hope to benefit from the state job creation fund PEAK and have been in discussions with
But Tyson officials make no promises of longevity in the community, Sparkman said.
"There are no guarantees in life or in business, but
If not here, then where?
Commerce secretary Jordan said the changes in zoning for the area still have to be approved at the county level. If the
"We still believe this is the best location in regard to meeting the requirements Tyson has for a new location and creating additional agricultural growth in northeast
From the company and state perspective, the site outside
But concerns linger.
"I have serious reservations, not just personally but from my position politically," said
Ranch manager Sours said if it happens, there'll definitely be some adjustments for everyone.
"We're a semi-suburban area out here, the whole county is. We do have agriculture, but it's mostly small," he said.
"We understand there's going to be development. You're just not going to stop it. It's going to happen, and, in some cases, it probably should happen. The short-sightedness of this venture is probably what bothers me the most. This county just has no idea what it's going to be like."
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