Cargill’s High River Plant reopens

The Cargill beef processing plant in High River is operating again.  It’s a large plant, processing about 40 percent of the beef in western Canada.   While the plant wasn’t damaged by floods that tore through the area it was closed because there wasn’t enough potable water to operate. Now that there is Cargill has called employees back to work on Wednesday and Thursday.

Doug Sawyer, chair of Alberta Beef Producers said,  “That’s very positive for the beef industry.  We’re at the point where we’re backing up cattle and certainly this is beginning to cost the entire industry.”

Canadian Cattlemen’s Association chair Martin Unrau added, “They’ve been harvesting since this morning.  Everything seems to be good, no difficulties.   I think they’ll probably be caught up in awhile and hopefully moving forward.”

Cargill cautions the plant is still in a vulnerable position.  It will only operate it there is an adequate supply of potable water.  Decisions on its operations will be made on a day to day basis.

Cargill employs about 2,000 people at the High River Plant.   Unrau said, “You have concerns about High River with the flooding, about how people are coping within the town and in their own homes.”

Many organizations and people are working together to try to put the flood behind them.

Doug Sawyer said,  “We’ve certainly been in contact with the government, all three levels on a continuous basis.  I can tell you that Cargill in particular and the provincial government have been working very hard to make sure that the needs for the citizens are taken care of first and ensure that our industry has the water it needs also.”

Industry exports said a short closure is not a big problem.  However if it had been longer, lasting more than  about 10 days it could become one.  They said it could reduce the amount producers get for cattle and increase costs for feedlots that have to hold onto cattle and continue to feed them.