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Cargill to Close Milwaukee Beef Processing Plant
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 07/31/2014

About 600 people learned that they will be out of a job by the end of the week after Cargill Inc. announced on Wednesday it will close its Milwaukee beef harvesting plant on August 1. The company says several years of drought has resulted in tighter beef supplies across the country which is impacting the meat industry.

Cargill officials said its ground beef plant in Milwaukee will remain open for now. That operation employs about 200 people. The company's six other U.S. beef plants will remain in production, according to a media release.

John Keating, who lead's the company's beef division, said the decision was made after an 18-month analysis of the region's cattle supply.

"The harsh reality is that the U.S. beef cattle herd is at its lowest level since 1951, with any significant herd expansion being years away," Keating said.

Cargill purchased the Milwaukee plant 2001. It has the processing capacity of nearly 1,400 animals per day.

Meanwhile, the company said it will be offering job opportunities to the displaced workers at other locations in the region.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said the city will also do what it can to help those workers find other employment.


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