China Temporarily Suspends Imports From Cargill

Jul 09, 2020

Cargill's Beef Packing Plant at High River, AB is one of a number of companies around the world that has had its exports temporarily suspended by China.

China has put in similar rules for a number of other beef, pork and poultry operations around the world - including Brazil, Argentina, the Netherlands, and Tyson's Foods poultry operation in the U.S.

An official from Cargill says they are still determining what it means and how they will proceed.

Daniel Sullivan, a spokesman for Cargill, says the plants' production capacity is not expected to change as a result.

He notes the High River plant is now back at over 95 per cent production capacity.

"We recognize it is important for farmers and ranchers to have access to markets and are working to process cattle and honor our commitments to producers. I also want to be clear that we also stand strongly by our commitment to producing high-quality, safe beef out of our High River facility."

Cargill has taken significant action to protect employees and focus on food safety.

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.