Proposed asphalt plant in Oxford raises concerns among locals

The proposed plant would be about 20 minutes south of the heart of Oxford. A recent proposal before the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors would convert 40 acres of land from agricultural to industrial to accommodate those plans.

A vote on that was tabled earlier this week at a meeting that local media reports was attended by nearly 200 people and lasted over five hours.

Reed Falkner, who co-owns and operates Falkner Farms, says not everyone is opposed to the plant or the growth that it might bring, but they're worried about the location. His farm, where he raises poultry and cattle, is right across from where the plant would be.

"This is a big county," he said. "Is there not any other areas that could suit this?" 

Developer JW McCurdy told MPB News that the available land is limited and that the only other option would be the industrial park. 

"The industrial park has no water or sewer capacity at this time," McCurdy said. "So essentially, there is no industrial zone property in Oxford, in Lafayette County, to put this at." 

Ken Macklin, a professor of poultry science at Mississippi State University, said the noise and pollution from a plant could cause a drop in egg production, affecting the livelihoods of farmers like Falkner. 

"Something that could be done is just a little bit of research as far as the impact of an asphalt plant has on local agriculture: not just poultry and livestock, but also the row crops, maybe even the water quality," said Macklin. 

McCurdy argues that those concerns are limited to the few people who live around the area. 

Sonia Thompson, an Oxford resident of 18 years, told MPB News in an interview that she isn't one of the folks who live in that area, but was at the meeting on Monday as a regular customer of Falkner Farms. 

"I do feel like they're my neighbors in this community, and I am concerned about an asphalt plant going in right across the street from where they are raising chickens for eggs and cattle for beef," she said. 

With that land also being in a floodplain, Falkner also worries that any flooding in the area will wash contaminants from the plant into the surrounding farmland.

Heath Sellers, who lives about 45 minutes away in New Albany but grew up in Lafayette, and whose family owns land just a few miles away from the Falkners, said it really boils down to that location.  

"Nobody is opposed to bringing more money to the county. Nobody is opposed to JW McCurdy, or any business, wanting to make more money," Sellers said. "Everyone is opposed to this happening in this location because of all the factors associated with it."

He and Falkner both fear that converting agricultural land for industrial use also sets a bad precedent — undermining the people and businesses that Falkner believes are the DNA of Lafayette County, especially agriculture.

"When you get the chance to take something like this away, you're just losing the identity of a place," Falkner said. 

MPB News reached out to the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors president and representative for district four, but did not receive a response. The board's next meeting is on November 3.