Statement of Tyson Foods Regarding Misinformation on ABC'S 20/20
Program of 2/21/97
On February 21, 1997, the ABC program, 20/20 ran a segment about construction
of a new airport in northwest Arkansas. We at Tyson have serious problems
with the way the show characterized our support for the airport. Not only
were the "facts" as presented just wrong, the sins of omission
were even worse.
Tyson Foods, like virtually every other business and most individual
citizens in this part of the world, does indeed support the construction
of a new airport in northwest Arkansas; but not for the reasons given by
20/20. Tyson and Wal-Mart are only two very visible companies headquartered
in northwest Arkansas, a region that is one of the fastest-growing areas
of our country. The show depicted the location of the airport as Highfill,
Arkansas, population 84, neglecting to mention that over 250,000 people
live within a 40 mile radius of Highfill. All new airports, logically and
by necessity, are built outside metropolitan areas and somewhat "in
the country."
Because of its geographical location and the topography of the region,
the existing commercial airport in Fayetteville, Arkansas is severely restricted
in its capacity to expand. It is located in a valley which makes expansion
or lengthening of its runways impossible, and causes frequent closure due
to weather. As a result, the need to build a new regional airport has been
obvious to community, political and business leaders in the area for 40
years or more. Initial efforts started in the 1960's with former U.S. Senator
J. William Fulbright. Representative John Paul Hammerschmidt {R} was also
instrumental in the planning stages. The suggestion that the airport is
being built because of President Bill Clintonís influence is journalistic
sensationalism. Additionally, the local support for the airport was demonstrated
in 1992 when over 74% of the voters in separate elections in five cities
and two counties voted to support construction of the airport.
The suggestion that Tyson Foods supports the airport so that we will
be able to ship chickens internationally by air freight is preposterous.
Tyson currently ships to 57 countries worldwide, but we do not ship by air.
We ship the product frozen in containerized ocean-going vessels. It is not
now and will probably never be feasible to ship the enormous quantities
of product we sell overseas by air. If it were, we would already be doing
so from Georgia, where we have four processing plants within a two-hour
drive of the International Airport in Atlanta. That we only produce 10%
of our chickens in northwest Arkansas is an important fact which was ignored
by 20/20.
Tyson's support for the new airport is no different than that of everyone
else from the area. We will not benefit from it in any way different from
that of all individuals and businesses in the area, and should point out
that we Arkansans are taxpayers, too. However, it is probably also material
that the federal money going into this project comes not from taxes, but
from user fees paid into the FAA's Airport Trust Fund.
We at Tyson did refuse to go on camera and be part of what we (correctly)
anticipated to be a "hatchet job." But we did talk with the producers
at length. They were fully aware of everything we've mentioned herein. That
they neglected to include so much information is an indication their report
is simply not credible.
We will be glad to answer any further questions you might have. Please
call the numbers below or e-mail: nicholsone@tyson.com
Archie Schaffer, Director of Media, Public and Governmental Affairs
(501) 290-7232
Ed Nicholson, Corporate Public Relations Manager
(501) 290-4591
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