The IT and automotive industries are not the only ones feeling cornered by job cuts, with top agribusiness Cargill also announcing layoffs across its global workforce. As a privately-held business, the company doesn’t have too much information on its structure and finances publicly available, but a 2024 annual report from the company revealed that it had over 160,000 employees across the world. With Cargill’s 5% workforce reduction plan, around 8,000 employees can be expected to move out of the organization.
Cargill’s global job cuts have been connected to a long-term strategy to “strengthen” the company’s impact, and this mission begins with the realignment of resources with the company’s goals.
Image: Cargill
Cargill Layoffs—Changes in the Agricultural Industry Demand a Change of Pace
The Minnesota-based agribusiness giant has not revealed the specifics of the job cuts or the decision’s overall impact on the workforce, however, the company spoke to the Associated Press to confirm that the layoffs were indeed taking place.
“As the world around us changes, we are committed to transforming even faster to deliver for our customers and fulfill our purpose of nourishing the world,” Cargill stated to AP on Tuesday. The company added that its workforce reductions are a result of a “difficult decision (that) was not made lightly.” The company’s main goal appears to be a realignment of its talent and resources with the company’s strategy.
According to an internal memo seen by Bloomberg, Chief Executive Officer Brian Sikes informed employees that the majority of cuts linked to Cargill’s 5% workforce reduction plans will take place this year. The layoffs will focus on “streamlining [the] organizational structure by removing layers, expanding the scope and responsibilities of [the] managers, and reducing duplication of work.”
The company’s executive team is not likely to be affected by the change however multiple senior leaders could be cut from the team. Employees affected by the layoffs should receive the intimation this week, with the initial separation dates beginning from February 5, 2025.
Cargill’s Global Job Cuts Are Part of a “Long-Term Strategy”
For the fourth year in a row, Forbes ranked Cargill as the top privately held company in the U.S., and a significant part of its victory has to do with its capacity to bring in around $160 billion in annual revenue. This number, while still commendable, falls well below the $177 billion from the previous year.
Reports suggest the company made profits of $2.48 billion for the fiscal year ending in May, which was a big drop from the $6.7 billion in the previous year. Despite the company’s vast potential and continued strength, the market has not been as stable as necessary for sustained profits.
The food supply chain industry has been faced with the falling prices of crops, with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Food Price Index indicating a $20.4 decline in the average international price of food in October 2024. Cargill’s declining profit numbers were linked to reduced prices for crops like corn and soybeans, and additionally, U.S. cattle herds are said to have reached their smallest size in 70 years. This has affected Cargill’s operations in the meat and livestock sector.
Record surges in prices during the COVID-19 pandemic are now falling fast at rates, which are hard for agribusinesses to keep up with. Cargill’s layoffs may be the largest one announced in the agri sector recently, but the company’s competitors are also struggling. The job cuts are one step in the company’s overall plans to reorganize its business, but industry-wide changes may be necessary to bring things back under order.
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