Cargill Invests $24 Million in Advanced AI Technology to Boost Beef Processing Efficiency at Fort Morgan Plant
Fort Morgan, Colorado – As the U.S. faces historic lows in cattle supply paired with soaring consumer demand, meat industry giant Cargill is turning to advanced technology to enhance its beef processing operations. The company recently unveiled a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool named CarVe at its Fort Morgan beef processing facility, marking a significant investment of $24 million in a broader $90 million technology upgrade initiative known as the Factory of the Future.
Tackling the Challenges of Beef Processing
Industrial cattle slaughter remains a labor-intensive and physically demanding task. With the Fort Morgan plant processing approximately 4,000 head of cattle each day, the precision and speed required from employees significantly impact both worker health and the company’s profitability. Jarrod Gillig, Senior Vice President of Cargill’s North American beef business, emphasized that improving the skills and efficiency of workers could lead to substantial business gains.
“Even a 1% yield improvement can retain hundreds of millions of pounds of beef in the supply chain annually, which is critical amid tight cattle supplies and rising prices,” Gillig said.
Introducing CarVe: AI-Powered Performance Monitoring
CarVe leverages sophisticated computer vision technology using cameras installed above production lines to monitor employee performance in real time. The system observes various parameters such as work pace, knife sharpness, and even the “emotional behavior” of workers, capturing subtle cues that may affect productivity. This data is instantly relayed to frontline managers, enabling targeted, immediate coaching rather than generalized feedback.
According to Ron Logan, Cargill’s slaughter manager, CarVe incorporates a “gamification” element, turning performance monitoring into a motivating, interactive experience. Employees can track their progress and compare rankings during breaks, which serves as an incentive to maintain consistent, high-quality workmanship.
“This approach helps us spot specific areas for improvement without unnecessarily calling out entire teams,” Logan explained. “It also allows us to recognize excellent work, which boosts morale and operational efficiency.”
Improving Worker Health and Safety
Beyond enhancing productivity, CarVe is designed to reduce workplace injuries. Brad Down, Cargill’s case-ready protein operations manager, noted that the system could help prevent one-time injuries such as knife cuts, as well as chronic repetitive-motion injuries associated with tasks like repeatedly lifting heavy objects over long shifts.
“Our goal is to create the best possible working environment that prioritizes food safety while safeguarding employees’ well-being,” Down said.
Navigating a Tight Cattle Market
The beef industry is currently facing a perfect storm of challenges. Prolonged drought conditions since 2020 have resulted in record-low cattle numbers as producers sold off animals instead of replenishing their herds. At the same time, American consumers are demanding more beef than ever before, driving prices to unprecedented highs.
Kenton Oschner, Executive Director of the Colorado Beef Council, explains, “The drought forced producers to sell off many animals, and with beef demand surging, the supply shortage is pressing packing plants.”
This scarcity has led to closures of other beef processing plants, including Tyson’s Lexington, Nebraska, facility and JBS’s Los Angeles plant. Cargill’s investment in technology like CarVe aims to extract more value from each animal processed, potentially adding over a million meals from the same number of cows.
A Broader Vision: Factory of the Future
CarVe is just one component of Cargill’s Factory of the Future program, featuring over 100 projects across 35 protein processing sites in North America. The initiative includes smart saws, foreign object detection, automated packaging, and predictive maintenance systems to optimize safety, efficiency, and yield.
Despite concerns from some viewing such surveillance technology as “Big Brother,” Cargill management stresses that CarVe’s purpose is collaborative and transparent. The company has engaged union leaders proactively to clarify the tool’s role and ensure workers understand how the data will be used.
Looking Ahead
With beef supplies constrained and industry competition fierce, Cargill’s embrace of AI and automation reflects a growing trend to modernize meat processing. If successful, CarVe could serve as a model for enhancing productivity, worker safety, and yield amidst evolving market pressures.
As Johanna Hernandez, General Manager of North American beef at Cargill, showed visitors through the Fort Morgan plant in early December 2025, the integration of cutting-edge technology with skilled labor is central to the future of beef production in Colorado and beyond.
Related:
- Tyson permanently closing Lexington, Nebraska beef plant in January 2026
- JBS to close Los Angeles beef plant in February 2026
- Colorado Beef Council reports on ongoing drought impacts on cattle supply
Reported by Tracy Ross for The Colorado Sun
Photos by Jeremy Sparig
