TOPEKA, Kan. – On March 20, Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer signed a bill
that would allow more large-scale poultry farms and feeding operations
to be built in the state.
The
Kansas House of Representatives passed a bill by an 84-37 margin on
March 12. The Kansas Senate passed the same bill on Feb. 22.
The final draft of the Senate bill would
increase the number of animals permitted in a confined animal feeding
operation (CAFO) by changing the formula for determining the number of
birds allowed.
The
bill also allows farmers to use dry manure processing systems to raise
up to 300,000 birds before they would need a state health permit. The
CAFOs would then supply the processing plant.
Kansas
legislators tried to amend the bill for a countywide public vote before
any large-scale poultry processing facility would be allowed in Kansas.
Jim Karleskint of Tonganoxie, Kansas, and Sen. Tom Holland of Baldwin City, Kansas, announced the new proposal for the law at a press conference on Feb. 1. Opponents in the House tried to amend the bill for a final time on March 12 but were unsuccessful.
In
September 2017, Springdale, Arkansas-based Tyson Foods announced plans
to build a poultry complex on 300 acres near the city in northeast
Kansas near Tonganoxie.
The
project was to include a hatchery, feed mill, processing plant and
supporting infrastructure. Production capacity at the facility was
estimated at 1.25 million chickens per week when the plant became fully
operational. It would have provided 1,600 jobs and require 300 to 400
chicken-raising houses on farms and ranches in a 50-mile radius.
Hundreds
of people and many advocacy groups protested the announcement with “No
Tyson in Tongie” signs spread throughout Leavenworth County. By October
2017, Tyson removed Tonganoxie as one of its proposed locations for the
poultry plant.
Tyson
then announced plans to delay the project to consider other locations
after county commissioners in Leavenworth County, Kansas, voted to
rescind a resolution of intent to approve revenue bonds totaling $500
million to support the construction of the complex.
By November 2017, Tyson Foods announced plans to build a new chicken production complex in Humboldt, part of Gibson County in western Tennessee.
The complex includes a processing plant, hatchery, feed mill and
related operations. The project appeared to be the same size and scope
as the complex planned for Tonganoxie.
Tyson
has said they are looking at other locations for the future in Kansas.
The large-scale facilities are owned by individual farmers who raise
chickens on contract with Tyson.
Source: meatpoultry.com
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