North Carolina county to revisit Sanderson Farms incentive issue

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  Jason Morrison

  Commissioners in Cumberland County, North Carolina, will revisit offering tax incentives for a proposed Sanderson Farms plant.

  From WATTAgNet:
  The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners in January will reconsider a decision on offering tax incentives for Sanderson Farms, which hopes to build a chicken processing plant in the North Carolina county, commission chairman Kenneth Edge said.
  Edge said he expects the commission to hold a public hearing on whether to offer tax incentives to Sanderson Farms, which is considering a $113 million plant that would employ about 1,000 people.
  The commission informally voted 5-2 to not offer tax incentives, but an election has been held since that time, with two new people joining the board. One of the newly-elected commissioners says he is opposed to the Sanderson Farms project, while the other remains undecided.
  Most county residents who have opposed the project have expressed concerns about water quality, dust, feathers, odor and increased truck traffic, while proponents are thinking of the economic benefits of the new plant.
  The local economic development alliance has released the results of three studies of the plant’s potential economic, social and environmental impact. In one study, Douglas Frederick, North Carolina State University forestry professor, said the plant would not adversely affect the soil or the Cape Fear River. In another study, University of North Carolina political science assistant professor, said the plant would have minimal negative effects on local health care programs, crime, employment and immigration.