On May 8th, Central Valley Meat purchased the Cargill slaughter plant in Fresno that processes approximately 300,000 head of culled dairy cows annually. Central Valley operates their major facility in Hanford, CA. As a component of the transaction, Cargill will continue to operate under lease a ground beef plant contiguous with their previous Fresno facility.
In accordance with the agreement between Central Valley Meat and Cargill, approximately 700 workers would remain employed with wages and benefits equal to or better than those provided by Cargill.
Amid concerns over possible cutbacks, California Attorney General Rob Bonta has intervened to ensure that the conditions of purchase are maintained for at least twelve months through the second quarter of 2025.
Bonta stated, “For dairy farmers the loss of the Fresno Cargill plant could have meant lower cattle prices and fewer options when selling their animals.” He added, “The Central Valley has fed California and the U.S. for decades and today I am proud to have secured the continued operation of an
important processing plant and protection of 700 jobs for at least a year.”
Intervention by the Office of the Attorney General was considered necessary to prevent losses by dairy farmers from depressed prices for their culled cows in the event of cutbacks or even closure of the plant.