HANOI, VIETNAM — Cargill Chief Executive Officer Greg Page on March 22 toured the company’s newest feed mill in Ha Nam Province, Vietnam and inaugurated the 55th Cargill Cares School.

Cargill said it built the feed mill in the Dong Van 2 Industrial Zone, Duy Tien district to serve the growing customer demand for quality feed. The facility will produce animal feed for livestock with the latest manufacturing technology and advanced international standards for feed and industrial safety.

The feed mill will begin production by the third quarter of this year, bringing the total number of Cargill feed mills in Vietnam to nine. This investment in Ha Nam follows the company’s acquisition of a shrimp feed mill in Tien Giang Province in November 2011.

“Cargill is proud to have served our customers in Vietnam for the past 17 years. Our recent investment in animal nutrition is a sign of our continued commitment to the success of our esteemed customers and to fostering the economic growth of Vietnam. We see a very bright future in Vietnam as we prosper together with local farmers and producers in the livestock and aqua industry, as well as our valued dealers and suppliers,” said Page.

Cargill also celebrated the opening of the 55th Cargill Cares School, the Duc Ly Kindergarten in the Ly Nhan district. Cargill employees, suppliers and customers raised $70,000 to build the school over the past two months. The kindergarten will benefit 150 children from low-income families in the district.

“Education is one of the most important contributions we can make to a growing country like Vietnam with a high population of young people. Our 55th school signifies the focused, long-term commitment of our Vietnamese employees to enriching local communities and improving lives every day,” said Page. “I am proud to say that by 2015, we aim to build 75 schools benefitting a total of 17,000 children.”

Under the umbrella of Cargill Cares, an employee-led initiative, Cargill started its ambitious school building initiative in Vietnam in 1997. Since then, Cargill has built 55 schools throughout the country benefitting over 12,000 children, with total funding amounting to $2.75 million.

The government of Vietnam recently recognized Cargill’s contributions to the country by awarding Cargill Vietnam the Golden Dragon Award 2011 on March 3. In addition, Cargill Vietnam was awarded the Labor Medal by the President of Vietnam in 2009. This award honors foreign direct investment enterprises that have made significant contributions to Vietnam's economic and social development.