700 jobs secured in Central Valley meat company merger

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - California's Attorney General Rob Bonta announced connected Thursday that 700 jobs were secured up of the planned acquisition of a nutrient processing works successful Fresno.

According to authorities officials, concerns astir jobs being mislaid were raised erstwhile Western Valley Meat Company, an affiliate of Central Valley Meat, planned to acquisition Cargill Inc.'s culled cattle slaughter and processing works successful Fresno.

Officials accidental that upon the acquisition of Cargill, Western Valley Meat Company indispensable support the Fresno works for 12 months and clasp astatine slightest 700 workers during that time.

“For dairy farmers, the nonaccomplishment of the Fresno Cargill works could person meant lower cattle prices and less options erstwhile selling their cattle," Bonta said.

Congressman Jim Costa commented connected Bonta's effort to unafraid the 700 jobs and said he's grateful that Bonta recovered a way forward.

"By combining resources and expertise, this acquisition volition not lone enactment section dairy farmers but besides conscionable marketplace request and support our proviso concatenation intact," Costa said.

Officials accidental that Cargill and Central Valley Meat are 2 of the largest nutrient facilities successful the San Joaquin Valley that slaughter and process non-milk producing oregon "cull cows."

In outpouring 2024, Western Valley Meat agreed to acquisition the Cargill facility. Officials accidental the acquisition sparked concerns due to the fact that with little marketplace unit processors could suppress prices offered to dairy farmers, oregon the works capableness could person disappeared altogether.

According to officials, determination was a risk that the Fresno works could beryllium unopen down altogether. If the works were to close, past section dairy farmers would person less options to merchantability their cattle, and implicit 700 section jobs associated with the works would beryllium lost. 

Officials accidental during the 12 months that Western Valley Meat continues to run the Fresno works the existing employees volition beryllium offered wages and benefits adjacent to oregon amended than those offered earlier the merger.