On Sept. 5, executives from Tyson Foods, the nation’s largest meat processor, traveled to the small Kansas town of Tonganoxie with what they figured would be welcome news for the locals. Joined by Governor Brownback and other politicians, Tyson unveiled plans to build a huge chicken complex outside of town. The $320 million project, Tyson’s first new plant in 20 years, would be home to a hatchery, feed mill, and processing plant—employing about 1,600 workers to package 1.25 million birds a week.
“To many small communities, that would have been cause for celebration,” writes Businessweek (Oct. 16, 2017). But for residents of Tonganoxie, the news—which they complain had been kept from them because of nondisclosure agreements that officials had signed during Tyson’s site search—drew a far different response. They objected to the stress on roads and waterways, the plant’s proximity to local schools, and the dozens of chicken barns (often odoriferous operations.)
White-and-red signs demanding “No Tyson in Tongie” sprouted up on lawns. A mid-September rally organized drew thousands of locals, many concerned about the lack of transparency leading up to the Tyson deal. Not long after, the county’s board of commissioners—which 5 days before Tyson’s announcement approved the intent to issue $500 million in industrial revenue bonds for facilities, without naming an operator—revoked its decision. Tyson then said it was putting its plans on hold while it investigates other plant locations.
The backlash serves as the latest example of grassroots opposition to industrialized food plants, which stoke concern among residents about everything from environmental impact to animal welfare issues and fears of a potential influx of new workers. This is a good example to use in class when covering location decisions in Chapter 8. Not every community is willing to offer huge incentives to attract new jobs. (The median wage of poultry workers is $11.77 an hour– $24,490 annually.)
Classroom discussion questions:
- What were the plusses and minuses of Tyson’s offer to this Kansas town?
- Describe the main incentive offered to Tyson.