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Cargill Foods Expansion Focuses
on Food Safety Enhancements
August 30, 2004
HIGH RIVER, AB – After completing the first phase of
a planned three-part expansion, Cargill Foods is commencing
with the second phase of what will total a $32.5 million investment
in the cattle-harvesting portion of their operation.
Company officials said the project is consistent with Cargill
Foods’ commitment to the development and implementation
of advanced and innovative equipment processes that work to
fully meet or exceed food safety requirements.
“Since the start-up of the plant 15 years ago, Cargill
has remained committed to the success of the Canadian beef
industry,” said Brian Derksen, Cargill Foods General
Manager. “Such investments will go a long way to enhance
our ability to provide Canadian export markets and consumers
with greater assurances in the area of food safety.”
As part of the first phase of the expansion, which was completed
over the past 3 months, Cargill Foods increased the workable
slaughter space of its existing facility by 30,000 square
feet, to a total of 450,000. Within the next 10 months, the
company expects to begin the final phase including the introduction
of a newly designed hide removal system. The project also
will include significant enhancements to its offal recovery
and processing operation. The High River plant already utilizes
a state-of-the-art hide-on carcass wash and beef carcass steam
pasteurizer to reduce potential food safety risks.
“While we continue to strongly advocate for a re-opening
of the U.S. border and export markets, and believe that it
is just a matter of time before it happens, we are mindful
of the associated risk in making this capital investment as
there is no guarantee trade will resume by the time the project
is complete,” he noted. “Regardless of when the
border opens, we want to be ready to bring added value to
the Canadian beef industry.”
Derksen confirmed that Cargill is committed to the industry
for the long-term and the company will continue to evolve
its business to meet the needs of producers and consumers.
The High River processing facility is operating 6-days per
week, as 1,800 employees continue to run the plant at full
capacity by processing 4,100 of cattle per day.
“We have had a team of people working diligently with
industry and governments on both sides of the border over
the past 15 months in an effort to re-open the border to live
cattle and a full menu of our beef products,” Derksen
confirmed. “While food safety remains a very high priority,
added slaughter capacity will require much more analysis as
it alone is not a solution for the industry.”
Cargill Foods, which opened in 1989, is a fully integrated
beef processing facility, with slaughter, fabrication, rendering
and hide operations. Cargill Foods is a division of Cargill
Limited. Headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Cargill Limited
employs 5,600 people across the country and has business interests
in meat, egg and oilseed processing, animal feed, salt, fertilizer
manufacturing, chocolate, natural gas, as well as grain handling
and merchandising.
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Robert Meijer
Director, Public Affairs
Cargill Limited
Telephone: (204) 947-6370
robert_meijer@cargill.com
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