Si Brown/ConAgra Update

From Forgotston.com:

Two months ago, Si Brown, CEO of Bruce Foods, an 80 year old Louisiana business, appeared on the Moon Griffon statewide radio talk show. (See report here.) Brown explained that the state’s ethically-challenged head of economic development, Stephen Moret was underwriting an out of state competitor using his and our tax dollars.

Brown said that since 2003 he had plans to build a sweet potato processing plant in South Louisiana similar to the one proposed by ConAgra in North LA near Delhi that the state was helping to underwrite. The difference, according to Brown, is that he would have built the plant with incentives from the state at a cost of $8,000 per job ($1 Million) versus the one in North LA at a cost to the state’s taxpayers of $104,000 per job ($37 Million).

Broken promises

While Brown was on the radio show that day, Moret called and left a message for Brown that he was coming to meet with Brown shortly about the matter. The Rhodes Scholar even called Brown and promised to make sure that the project moved forward.

According to Brown, Moret met with him on September 3 and Moret made promises regarding the infrastructure assistance for Bruce Foods’ sweet potato processing plant.

This morning, Brown again appeared on the Moon Griffon Show and reported that after two months and numerous contacts by Brown, Moret has only delivered broken promises.

Today, Brown again appeared on the Moon Griffon Show and reported that after two months and numerous contacts by Brown, Moret has only delivered broken promises.

Lincoln Parish News Online had reported on the story here and here and here.