As the planet searches for new and renewable energy sources, Cargill is focusing on a four-legged one. The idea began simply as a way to lower emissions and odor from Cargill’s beef processing plants. Cargill engineers installed membrane covers over the plants’ waste lagoons, and found they had something more valuable than cow manure on their hands. They had fuel.

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Now, Cargill has adopted methane gas recovery at 11 of its meat processing plants. After installing anaerobic digester systems and recapturing the methane gas, Cargill expects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 325,000 metric tons annually. The biogas generated by the systems fuels the plants’ boilers and significantly displaces natural gas demand. In fact, more than 20 percent of all the energy consumed in Cargill’s North American beef operations is created from this renewable source. 

This same Cargill technology has helped others around the world benefit from renewable energy while reducing their carbon emissions. The managing of manure waste has transformed from a cost of doing business to one of its biggest rewards. 

This is how Cargill works with customers.