MINNEAPOLIS – Cargill announced on Dec. 2 it will cut its workforce by up to 2,000 of its 138,000 employees globally — approximately 1.5 percent. Most of the cuts will take place during the next six months worldwide.

Affected employees will be provided with severance and outplacement support.

These actions are in response to the continued weak global economy and are part of an overall effort to reduce expenses and simplify work processes, the company said.

“The workforce reduction is across all businesses and geographies,” Mike Martin, director of communications, told MEATPOULTRY.com. “Cargill Meat Solutions is not immune, although our meat-processing businesses continue to assess what actions they will be taking. So, at this point in time there is nothing to share as the final decisions are still being made.”

“As economic conditions change, so must we,” said Mike Fernandez, corporate vice president of Cargill Corporate Affairs. “Regrettably, this impacts talented people who have made important contributions to our company. These are difficult decisions but are necessary to better position the company for continued growth.”

These cuts are based on recommendations from Cargill’s business units and functions as to how to best allocate resources, based on their specific situations. They are not the outcome of any companywide percentage mandate or uniform across-the-board cut. The goal is to ensure the company is focusing its resources on those activities that add the most value for its customers, the company said in a press release.