World Grain - April 2015 - 8

FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Cargill marks its
150th anniversary

s a company that was founded in
grain, prospered in grain trading and
built a globe-circling business of
hugely impressive proportions, Cargill deserves the admiration it is receiving this year
in marking its 150th anniversary. Yes, there
are privately-owned and public companies
operating around the world that could claim
an equally distinguished record of building
businesses from origins in grain, but what
Cargill has achieved in the past century and
a half is different enough and impressive
enough that it merits being singled out for
praise. This company is not solely an unparalleled exemplar of success but also proof of
how the principles it espouses may be purfor advancing all the world.
Looking back on prior anniversary celebrations by this company, it doesn't take
great knowledge to appreciate the massive
changes that have occurred in this one company as the industry on which it is founded
has changed. The company's insistence on
free and open trade between American states
and equally important, between countries
of the world, is a stand that has not always
been easy. Yet, even when it seemed appealing to impose embargoes as a quick way of
punishing supposed enemies or in an effort
to produce a response, Cargill never hesitated in declaring its misgivings. When international negotiations aimed at producing
global agreements that would affect trade
patterns across the globe were being negotiated, it was often Cargill that volunteered
the guidance of expert executives. As a result, rules, regulations and tariffs that impact
global trade in grain, with results that have
Of the many advances in how grain business is done that may be attributed to this
company, hardly anything is more important
than its leadership in revolutionizing shipping, on land and on water. It was Cargill
that pressed for bulk cars in shipping grain
in a complete shift from standard boxcars
that were clumsy and costly. When bulk rail

opment prompted many questions because it
appeared to undermine railroad rate-making.
It is in ocean shipping where unit costs have
plummeted due to productive changes aggressively pursued by this company that
have worked wonders not just in grain but in
the full range of traded commodities.
Flour milling was a relative latecomer to the
Cargill operating panoply. Making its serious
entry into milling well into its second business century, the company chose to launch its

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business. Having been quickly persuaded that
it should not overlook the many bright opportunities in milling, which depend partly on
aspects relating to grain trading, the company
pursued capacity expansion through a series
of acquisitions that quickly created one of the

PUBLISHING STAFF
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intentions became strikingly clear in the past
year by entering a partnership ranking as the
largest miller.
The way Cargill has adhered to its principles, not just in how international trade
should be conducted, but also in its dealings
with customers and its own staff, as well
as governments, helps explain the amazing
how change is also embraced when deemed
appropriate. For instance, there was a time
when partnering was anathema to the people
running the company, with collaboration in
that manner viewed as almost nonsensical.
The Cargill of today is not only committed
but it has pursued a similar attitude in dealing with customers who are frequently referred to as partners. This is just a single example of what accounts for this company's
ability to achieve greatness. Yet, at the same
time, there are no secrets and few mysteries,
meaning that similarly remarkable progress
is available to anyone willing to give the
same enthusiastic try.
Morton I. Sosland
Editor-in-chief

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WORLD GRAIN (ISSN 0745-8991) Volume 33, issue 4,

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World Grain - April 2015

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