Tyson Conference Center Opens at New TPF Headquarters

The Poultry Federation celebrated the official opening of the Don & Randal Tyson Conference Center as part of its new Little Rock headquarters on Thursday.

Tyson Foods Inc. donated $1 million for construction of the building after a commitment made by Don Tyson, the company’s late chairman, in 2010. The late Randal Tyson was Don’s half-brother, and served as a company vice president as well as president of TPF for a term.

“The Poultry Federation’s new building represents the future of the poultry business, which is so important to Arkansas and nearby states,” current Tyson chairman John Tyson said in a news release. “The federation is a leader in addressing poultry industry and agricultural issues, and we’re proud to be part of it.”

TPF is a trade association that represents the poultry and egg industry in Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Its new headquarters, located in the Capitol Zoning District, is LEED-certified and was built at a cost of about $2 million.

The conference center largely will be used for industry-related meetings. It also will be available to legislators and other policymakers.

“The poultry industry is a huge economic engine in Arkansas’ economy,” TPF president Marvin Childers said. “Poultry cash receipts of $3.6 billion represents 47 percent of the total cash receipts from all agricultural commodities in Arkansas. Our industry accounts for one in four agricultural jobs in Arkansas, and we are the only state to rank in the top 10 [nationally] in chicken, turkey and egg production.”

Tyson Foods Inc. is one of the world’s largest processors and marketers of chicken, beef and pork. It has about 115,000 employees and more than 400 facilities worldwide.