November 20, 2003

Cargill Awards Hog Producers For Excellent Environmental Achievements

Cargill Pork has awarded the Tommy Porter and Gary Hickey families first place in their divisions of Cargill Pork's Environmental Stewardship Award Program. This award basically aims to give recognition to pork producers for their outstanding environmental achievements.

Cargill Pork is a swine production company with offices in the United States' Wichita, KS and Russellville, AR. The Environmental Stewardship Award Program is conducted annually to recognize producers who raise hogs for Cargill under contract who have had outstanding environmental practices.

The Porter farm is near Charlotte, NC and includes a breeding and farrowing operation. The Hickey family operates a nursery near Moreland, AR.

One of the requirements for receiving the award is that there must be no issues uncovered during any of the monthly farm audits Cargill Pork performs for the fiscal year.

Recipients must have an approved waste management plan for the farm as required by their state. Other considerations involved in the selection process for this award include conservation practices, waste management practices and participation in the National Pork Board's "On Farm Odor" program.

Since its inception in 1971, Cargill Pork has strived to be a World Class leader in pork production. Cargill Pork's producers raise about 2 million hogs annually in Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma and North Carolina.

Cargill Pork is part of Cargill, Incorporated, which is an international marketer, processor and distributor of agricultural, food, financial and industrial products and services with 98,000 employees in 61 countries. The company provides distinctive customer solutions in supply chain management, food applications, and health and nutrition.