Tyson Foods and Renewable Energy to Provide Alternative Use for Chicken Litter in Delmarva Temperanceville, VA - July 12, 2001 - Tyson Foods, Inc. (NSYE:TSN) and Renewable Energy, an Australian based company with offices in Charlotte, NC, announced today that they are joining forces to provide an alternative use for approximately 80-85,000 tons of chicken litter a year in the Delmarva Region. The two companies will be constructing a gasification facility adjacent to the Tyson Foods poultry processing plant in Temperanceville, VA, that will convert the chicken litter, as well as sludge from its wastewater treatment plants in Temperanceville and Berlin, MD, to energy in the form of steam, that will then be used by Tyson in its Temperanceville protein conversion plant. The gasification technology, developed by Renewable Energy and in use in over 600 similar units world-wide, is very efficient and environmentally clean. The process will dramatically reduce sulfur emissions from conventional boilers currently being used, and will significantly reduce the current land application of chicken litter (by 82,000 tons annually) and DAF sludge (by approximately 30,000 tons annually) in the Chesapeake Bay region. “We have searched long and hard for the right technology and the right partner with which to join forces,” said Greg Lee, Tyson Foods Chief Operating Officer. “While our growers in the Delmarva Region have been very responsible stewards of the land, utilizing Best Management Practices in the use of their litter to protect the local environment, this facility will provide yet another attractive alternative, as we continue to work hard to protect and preserve the Chesapeake Bay region.” Renewable Energy will construct and operate the new energy facility. The facility will consist of two gasification units side by side that will have the capacity to produce 120,000 lbs/hr of steam for use by Tyson in its protein conversion plant which is located next to the poultry processing plant. “Renewable Energy is delighted to be partnering with Tyson Foods on this project,” said Ross McRoy, P.E., Renewable’s Project Director. “We are convinced that biomass conversion is one of the key solutions to addressing the energy crunch in America, while being environmentally friendly at the same time. This project will give us, and the poultry industry, the opportunity to clearly demonstrate our belief.” The projected capital expenditure for the project is approximately $12 million, and once ground is broken the construction phase should be about 18 months. Permits, primarily air, must be obtained from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and that process should begin soon. Renewable Energy will be contracting with Tyson growers, as well as those of other companies in the area, who are interested in making their litter available for the project. The DAF sludge used in the process will come from Tyson’s wastewater treatment plants in both Temperanceville and Berlin, MD. Additionally, hatchery waste from Tyson’s hatcheries in the area will be used in the process. All raw materials will be delivered to the plant in tank trucks or covered trailers, and a negative pressure handling system will minimize concerns about dust and odor. The primary by-product of the gasification system is an ash high in nutrients that will be sold to fertilizer manufacturers. For additional information, contact Ed Nicholson, Tyson’s Director of Media and Community Relations, at 501-290-4591, Chuck Kuzma, Renewable Energy's Chief Operating Officer, or Ross McRoy, Renewable Energy’s Project Director, at 704-367-1508. For further information, contact Corporate Public Relations Manager Ed Nicholson at (501) 290-4591.