Kansas panel stalls Tyson-plant bonds
By a 2-1 vote, Leavenworth County, Kan., commissioners said Monday they are not prepared to recommend that $500 million in industrial revenue bonds be issued for Tyson Foods' plans to build a poultry operation in northeastern Kansas.
According to the Lawrence Journal World, the bonds are key to Tyson's plans because along with a lower interest rate they would make the proposed complex eligible for an 80 percent property tax abatement.
Where the project stands is uncertain: County commissioners could bring the issue up another time, or Tyson could take other steps to keep the project going.
Tyson Foods officials plan to meet with Kansas residents this week regarding concerns about the project, a Tyson spokesman said.
"Invitations are being sent to local residents who have raised questions about the project to attend some meetings the company, as well as some state and local leaders, are hosting late this week in Tonganoxie," Tyson Foods spokesman Worth Sparkman wrote in an email.
-- Nathan Owens
Heifer tightens ties with U.N. farm unit
Heifer International is strengthening its partnership with a United Nations agency to bolster small farms in developing countries.
The Little Rock-based nonprofit signed an agreement Sunday with the International Fund for Agriculture Development to help educate and support small farmers in poor parts of the world.
Pierre Ferrari, Heifer president and chief executive officer, said this partnership was a natural development between the two organizations.
"Our new memorandum of understanding adds another level of strength in our partnership for leveraging each other's work and achievements to meet the goal of ending poverty and hunger," Ferrari said in a statement.
Under the memorandum the two groups will explore ways to help farmers access financing, minimize crop losses and farm in areas affected by climate change, according to Heifer.
-- Nathan Owens
State index up 2.01 with 12 stocks rising
The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, rose 2.01 to 353.42 Monday.
Twelve stocks rose and six fell.
J.B. Hunt Transport Services gained 1.2 percent in light trading.
Uniti Group fell 5.1 percent on more than double its average volume.
The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.
Business on 09/19/2017