TONGANOXIE, Kan. (AP) — Residents were quick to mobilize after Tyson Foods announced its plans to build a chicken-processing plant outside Tonganoxie in northeastern Kansas.
But they weren’t on social media to court the Springdale, Arkansas-based company. They used their posts to organize protests to drive Tyson away.
Shannon Reischman says she didn’t want the bedroom community of about 5,300 people becoming a “chicken town.” She and others worried it would be overcome by environmental problems, newly crowded schools and heavy truck traffic.
Two weeks after the early September announcement, local officials withdrew their support of the $320 million plant and Tyson started looking elsewhere.
Industry and state officials are a bit mystified that any community would turn away 1,600 jobs. Kansas is still trying to attract the plant. Officials announced recently Cloud, Sedgwick and Montgomery County are finalists. However, there is growing opposition to the plant in Sedgwick County.