The Mason City, Iowa City Council rejected an agreement with Prestage Foods to build a $240 million pork processing plant. The council met during a seven-hour meeting and ended up with a 3-3 vote, killing the agreement, reports the Des Moines Register.

Councilman Bill Schickel says he struggled with his vote against the Prestage Foods plan but finally decided there wasn't enough community acceptance for the agreement to work. The company had previously agreed to include a buffer zone around the plant to prevent odors or noise pollution from affecting nearby residents. The facility would have eventually employed 1,800 people.

Other officials in Iowa cities had hoped to lure the plant to their cities. Webster City Mayor John Hawkins said city officials would reach out to the company to build a plant 70 miles south of its first choice.

"I honestly don’t know whether this will sour the company altogether. You would like to think not," Hawkins said. "If they got this far into it, they’re going to want to expand somewhere."

Source: Des Moines Register