Western Iowa Republican Congressman Steve King says he’s been in contact with Tyson Fresh Meats, Incorporated, and will work with the company’s leadership to explore new uses for its Denison beef processing plant. The company Thursday announced it was exploring closing its facility in Denison, because of planned improvements to its plant in Dakota City, NE. The move would effectively eliminate 400 jobs in Denison, although employees would be encouraged to apply for about 200 jobs created by the Dakota City plant improvements.

King says he knows closing the Denison plant is a “tough decision for Tyson to make, especially given the history of the Denison plant as the flagship location for the former IBP company.” He said in the coming months, he will continue to work with Tyson Foods to find other uses for the Denison facility, and is “Hopeful that a decision will be reached that will continue to put the plant and its workforce to good use.”

If the company closes the Denison facility, it will not come until sometime next year.

In response to rapidly expanding problems associated with herbicide resistant weeds, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will conduct a series of meetings in March to address the issue. The meetings will provide information about the causes of herbicide-resistant weed populations, objectively evaluate weed management programs currently used in Iowa and support the development of durable weed management programs. The meetings will begin at 9 a.m. and conclude with a noon meal. One of the meetings will take place in Atlantic, on March 14th, at the Cass County Community Center.  

There is no cost to attend the program, due to funding provided by several partners. However, advance registration is appreciated for meeting logistics and lunch counts. Additional information regarding the program and online registration is available at http://www.aep.iastate.edu/weeds/ .