Diversification of businesses and partners
lead Cargill out of the twentieth century 

Under Whitney MacMillan's leadership, Cargill diversified with new operations in beef, pork and poultry processing, steel making, citrus processing, petroleum trading and merchandising, international metals, fibers and tropical commodities origination and trading and fertilizer production. Some of these areas became staples of Cargill's growth; others did not perform as expected and were sold. But Cargill's experience with diversification produced dramatic results. By its 125th anniversary in 1990, Cargill, its subsidiaries and affiliates were found in 57 countries representing nearly 55,000 employees - over ten times the number twenty-five years earlier. 

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