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Business and economy news and issues in the Ozarks.

Cargill’s 118-employee Springfield Facility to Close in March

www.farmlandgrab.org

A Springfield meat slicing and packaging facility plans to move operations, impacting 118 employees.

Cargill informed its staff Friday morning that after a thorough assessment of its turkey and cooked meats future business needs, operations will be relocated to facilities in Nebraska City, Nebraska and Waco, Texas. According to a statement, the Springfield facility will close on March 11.

Cargill says affected employees will each be offered a severance package, as well as opportunities and support to relocate to Cargill positions at other company facilities in the region. Cargill will also conduct job fairs.

Ruth Kimmelshue, president of Wichita, Kansas-based Cargill Turkey & Cooked Meats, said in a news release, “These decisions are never easy, especially when they involve good people who do great work for our business. We value the contributions of our colleagues and will do as much as possible to help those who are impacted find other employment, including at other Cargill locations.”

The company says its decision to leave Springfield will help it better serve customers “given the meat products sliced and packaged there involve meat produced at other locations, including Nebraska City and Waco.”

Kimmelshue added, “Given the scale of our facilities where this work is going, the proximity to raw materials, and technology driven efficiencies that can be gained, in addition to the shipping logistics benefits for our customers, we believe this move better positions us for future growth in a highly competitive environment. Nevertheless, it always hurts when people’s jobs are impacted, which is why we will offer to provide them with an appropriate level of transition support.”

Cargill acquired the Springfield facility in 2008, together with other assets that were part of Willow Brook Foods.

Friday’s announcement comes just over two weeks after Dillons Stores closed its four locations in Springfield, leaving some 400 people out of work.

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