WIS-TV posted a video story on its Facebook page entitled: ‘Smelly eyesore’: What’s next for West Columbia’s Chicken plant. Link to WIS report

The story was posted on Wednesday night at 10:24 p.m. and referred to “many of its neighbors” who object to the chicken plant, but those neighbors were not identified. Some spoke about the plant, but their comments were either mixed (not all negative) or supportive.

WIS did report that: House of Raeford “provides 800 jobs and spends nearly $500,000 annually in property taxes” in West Columbia.

The story also alludes to the fact that House of Raeford is looking to other municipalities with the idea of moving the plant. And a company spokesperson said moving is still a possibility.

On Thursday around 5:30 p.m. there were 119 comments on Facebook. Most of those commenting defended the House of Raeford plant and their long-standing and the plant’s contributions to the West Columbia community.

Below is a representation of most of the comments:

• It employs a lot of people and processes food. Leave them alone.
• That Chicken plant had been there for over 60 years and supported West Columbia before all of these new developments. People chose to build around it. Maybe they should just paint murals on it and keep getting the tax revenue off of it. And maybe they can pipe some flower smell into their system, so it smells like flowers instead of chickens. To me it sounds like money and west Columbia would be dumb to let them leave
• I think people who think this is a smelly eyesore should have to quit eating chicken or eat their lunch in that building everyday.
• Who was there first 👀 mind boggles me that people move into an area and then complain 😂
• That place has been there forever and no one had a problem until it was time to gentrify the area. Now suddenly it’s an eyesore. Most of the ones complaining had never even driven through that neighborhood until recently.
• It employs a lot of people and processes food. Leave them alone.
• House of Raeford doesn’t have any problem moving, they just expect to be paid market value for their property as anyone would. West Columbia makes more money off House of Raeford taxes and water bill then they ever would of some high rise condominiums.
• The organization was there long before anything else. It is “bullying” to try and force the company to move the plant.
• I recall in the past the issue of getting workers if they move way out will be a problem. Some of the current workers live close enough to walk or ride public transportation. It’s been there as long as I can remember. As long as people eat chicken, there will be chicken processing plants. I do feel sad for the chickens when I see those trucks going down 378.
• Been there a long time, longer than most businesses in the area. Smells like money to me.
• Stop eating chicken… that will solve the problem. SMH. The money they bring in and people complain 😡
• All I know is these other businesses better not be interfering with me getting some delicious chicken nuggets. 🍟 😋
• They’ve been at the location for decades. So those other businesses need to leave
• Guess someone didn’t do their homework on that one. It’s been there for ever so I don’t think the smell just popped up.
• Let those people work. They shouldn’t have to uproot their lives because people with money want a nice view of the city.
• That business has been there for decades. The town grew up around it.
• Chicken plant has been there a long time. Maybe those other businesses should not have moved in knowing it was there…
• It’s been there, longer than most of the neighbors.