Cargill opens new $29 million feed mill

To celebrate the kickoff of mill operations, the company will hold a dedication for invited guests, 10:30 a.m., May 12, 2015.

Within a 20 minute drive from Hedrick is Cargill’s pork processing facility at Ottumwa, where another $25-million-plus project was recently completed to significantly increase bacon production to meet consumer demand for more of this favorite pork product. Combined, these two projects represent an investment of nearly $60 million in the region by Cargill Pork. “This is a great day for Hedrick and Ottumwa, the farmers who supply us hogs for pork, Cargill and our employees,” said Jane Fallon, Cargill Pork general manager. “It’s always exciting to see the investments we make turn into long-term job creation. These projects represent our commitment to the state’s agricultural economy, and illustrate our long heritage for helping communities and farmers to thrive while enhancing our ongoing efforts to provide high-quality protein to nourish millions of Americans and consumers around the world.”

Converting six million bushels of corn to feed

The feed mill will load and unload approximately 100 trucks daily, one every 10 minutes, annually converting about six million bushels of locally grown corn to feed for farms in a radius from the mill that averages 35 miles. Building the feed mill required 12,500-square-yards of concrete, 340 tons of steel rebar in the mill structure alone, and during most of the construction averaged 75 workers to complete the job with a near-perfect safety record.

Doubling daily bacon output

Cargill’s Ottumwa pork processing plant sits on a 10-acre site, has more than half-a-million-square-feet under roof, employs more than 2,300 people and harvests 18,000 – 19,000 hogs daily. It is one of two large pork processing facilities owned by Cargill, with the other located in Beardstown, Ill. The Ottumwa facility recently completed a $25-million-plus expansion of its bacon production capabilities, doubling daily bacon output. “People love bacon and we see demand continuing to increase,” said Ottumwa plant general manager Randy Zorn. “As consumer demand for bacon has increased, our retail and foodservice customers want more bacon, and we intend to meet their needs. In fact, we inaugurated a Bacon Fest in Ottumwa last year that drew 4,000 people to a one-day event, which tells us how passionate people are for bacon.”