Western Valley Meat agrees to maintain 700 jobs after acquisition

A settlement was reached between California Attorney Rob Bonta and Western Valley Meat Co., a subsidiary of Central Valley Meat, to maintain at least 700 plant jobs for at least 12 months.

In May, Western Valley announced the purchase of the Fresno beef plant from Cargill and planned to cut jobs by August, but now has to wait at least a year.

Bonta said Cargill and Central Valley Meat are two of the largest facilities in the San Joquin Valley that slaughter cows. Both facilities purchase culled cattle from dairy producers. Central Valley currently runs a facility in Hanford, Calif.

“For dairy farmers, the loss of the Fresno Cargill plant could have meant lower cattle prices and fewer options when selling their cattle,” Bonta said. “The Central Valley has fed California and the US 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 12 months.”

The complaint stated that Cargill’s Fresno California facility processed more than 300,000 head of culled cattle annually, according to federal government data from the USDA.

“Food is a national security issue,” said Representative Jim Costa, (D-Calif). “By combining resources and expertise, this acquisition will not only support local dairy farmers but also meet market demand and keep our supply chain intact. I am grateful to our local and state partners like Attorney General Rob Bonta who worked to sustain good paying jobs in the San Joaquin Valley and find paths forward.”