Frequently Asked Questions

Tyson Foods, Inc. announced plans for a $320 million poultry processing plant near Tonganoxie, Kansas. Company officials said they hoped to bring the plant into production in mid-2019, employing up to 1,600 people and processing as many as 1.25 million birds per week.

The site would house a slaughterhouse and processing plant, along with a hatchery and a feed mill. Tyson also planned to contract with northeast Kansas farmers and raise chickens within a 50-mile radius of the plant.

The proposed Tyson Foods poultry processing plant near Tonganoxie, Kansas, has become the central issue for residents across northern Leavenworth County, including the communities of Tonganoxie and Tongie. This site collects what the announcement actually described, what the facility footprint would have meant for nearby roads, schools, water and air, and how a citizens' organization grew out of concern for quality of life. Rather than repeating rumor, the pages here summarize what company officials stated about the project so residents can weigh it against their own knowledge of the area and the county's long history with agricultural development.

Residents have asked many questions about animal welfare, employment quality, and the burden placed on local infrastructure. The facility was described as a large-scale operation involving slaughter, hatchery and feed functions, and critics raised concerns about inhumane treatment of animals, stress on workers, and pollution of water and air in surrounding areas. The FAQ section addresses these concerns directly, explaining what is known about the proposed plant's operations and why community advocates consider the potential effects on nearby homes, schools and natural resources serious enough to organize a public response.

Participation in this effort is open to anyone who lives near or cares about the area. The site explains how to sign the petition, share announcements and press coverage, follow updates, donate or volunteer, and contact organizers for more information about events and mutual savings association or fundraising efforts. It also points readers toward background material on the county's development history and the values that shaped local communities, so that residents can form their own opinions about the project, make their voices heard, and decide whether they want to take part in the ongoing community response.

Our concerns center on three areas:

• Environmental pollution from waste, odor, runoff and air emissions associated with a high-volume operation and its feed mill.
• Property value drops for nearby residents and neighboring communities.
• Unfair grower contracts that place risk on the farmers raising birds under contract.

Residents were not allowed to vote on the plan before it advanced, and the project was kept from the public until late-stage planning.

Company officials said the plant would process as many as 1.25 million birds per week and employ up to 1,600 people, with production targeted for mid-2019.

The group is Citizens Against Project Sunset (CAPS) — committed citizens of Tonganoxie and Leavenworth County. The Facebook group had more than 4,200 members as of September 2017, and news articles from that month reported the effort adding supporters by the hundreds.

We are a citizen group, not a government agency.

There are several ways to help:

• Sign up to volunteer and receive email updates about where help is needed.
• Look for a petition to sign, and share it with neighbors.
• Attend community meetings, farm tours, and board meetings listed on our events page.
• Contribute to mailers, brochures, ads, and legal expenses through donations.

To volunteer or to ask a question, write to us at CAPSTongie@gmail.com or visit our events page.

Donations can be made in person at Mutual Savings Association, FSA, or via PayPal. Funds go toward mailers, brochures, ads, and legal fees supporting the opposition effort. Questions about giving can be directed to CAPSTongie@gmail.com.

Our mailing address is P.O. Box 32, Tonganoxie, KS 66086. The best way to reach us is email: CAPSTongie@gmail.com.