More than 20 Kansas communities interested in poultry plant

With plans for a poultry plant near Tonganoxie on hold, more than 20 other communities in Kansas have expressed interest in the project. That is according to Heather Lansdowne, spokeswoman for the Kansas Department of Agriculture.Officials with Tyson Foods announced Sept. 5 plans to build a $320 million facility south of Tonganoxie. But this past week, a company official said those plans are now being put on hold.The poultry complex would have included a processing plant, hatchery and feed mill. Tyson Foods officials said the facility would have employed about 1,600 people.From the time of the Sept. 5 announcement, the project faced opposition from area residents who expressed concerns about the possible environmental impact. They also expressed concerns about the plant attracting migrant workers and how that may impact the community.