10th annual river clean-up part of 2011 Earth Day efforts

Date: 14 April 2011

Contact: Mike Martin, 316-291-2126, michael_martin@cargill.com

WICHITA, Kan. — Cargill employees from the Wichita area, as well as their family members, friends and other interested people are volunteering to participate in the 10th annual Arkansas River Trash Roundup, May 7, 2011, 9:00 a.m. to noon. In partnership with the City of Wichita, Wichita Ducks Unlimited and Waste Connections, Inc., Cargill will be sponsoring the river clean-up for the third consecutive year as part of the company's Earth Day environmental activities taking place around the world in April, May and June. Participants in the Arkansas River Trash Roundup will collect and remove garbage and debris that has accumulated on the banks of the river near downtown Wichita over the past 12 months.

Volunteers will assemble at the south end of the Lawrence-Dumont stadium parking lot before proceeding to the banks of the river for the trash removal effort. Cargill is providing $15,000 in funding, with approximately $11,000 for the river clean-up project and $4,000 for Sumner County wetlands restoration work.

"With approximately 1,100 Cargill employees and their families calling the Wichita area home, we care about the local environment and want to help ensure the Arkansas River remains a vibrant part of the region's ecosystem for generations to come," stated Jody Horner, president of Cargill's North American meat business headquartered in Wichita. "Cargill's agricultural roots date back to the company's founding in 1865 as a rural Iowa grain company, so we have a long heritage tied to the environment and it is important to us to be good stewards of the natural resources required by a growing global population. The Arkansas River is a treasured waterway asset we need to protect, and together public and private parties are working to ensure it is preserved for people to use and enjoy."

In the Wichita area, the Arkansas River is located within North America's south central flyway, a key route for migratory birds that seasonally move north and south throughout the year.

"Many species of migratory birds ranging from bald eagles to waterfowl pass through the Wichita area, and the Arkansas River is an important natural element that helps support migration activity," said Kirk Lies, assistant vice president of commercial banking with UMB Bank in Wichita, and area chairman of the Wichita chapter of Ducks Unlimited. "In today's world of tight budgets and limited resources, people and organizations are coming together to improve their communities and this is an excellent example of how well volunteers can make a positive difference in Wichita."

"It is amazing to see the impact the volunteers have on our river in such a short period of time," said Libby Albers, City of Wichita Public Works WATER Center Coordinator. "The clean-up is registered with American Rivers as part of the 'National River Cleanup' initiative."

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About Cargill

Cargill is an international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services. Founded in 1865, the privately held company employs 131,000 people in 66 countries. Cargill helps customers succeed through collaboration and innovation, and is committed to applying its global knowledge and experience to help meet economic, environmental and social challenges wherever it does business. For more information, visit www.cargill.com.

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