Cargill Receives 2026 BIG Artificial Intelligence Excellence Award

Global agribusiness company Cargill has been named a winner in the 2026 BIG Artificial Intelligence Excellence Awards, presented by the Business Intelligence Group. The recognition highlights the company’s efforts to integrate artificial intelligence across multiple stages of the food and agriculture system.

The award acknowledges Cargill’s use of AI from agricultural production to supply chain management, as well as in product development and customer collaboration. The company’s approach focuses on accelerating data-driven decision-making while delivering measurable outcomes for producers, customers, and consumers.

Jennifer Hartsock, Chief Information & Digital Officer at Cargill, stated that artificial intelligence plays a key role in building a more resilient and efficient food system, emphasizing that combining industry expertise with advanced technologies enhances decision-making processes.

Cargill’s AI applications span various segments of the food system. On the production side, digital platforms support the optimization of animal performance and nutrition. In supply chain operations, predictive analytics and computer vision technologies are used to improve logistics efficiency and reduce waste. In product development, generative AI tools enable faster creation and refinement of new concepts.

Commenting on the awards, Russ Fordyce noted that this year’s winners stand out for applying AI at an operational level, developing scalable solutions rather than remaining at a conceptual stage.

Cargill’s AI-driven initiatives are reported to have tangible impacts, from optimizing global grain flows to improving efficiency in processing facilities. The company’s approach centers on combining human expertise with advanced technologies to ensure practical, scalable, and real-world applications.

Looking ahead, Cargill plans to further expand its use of artificial intelligence across research and development, operations, and partnerships. This strategy is expected to contribute to setting benchmarks for responsible and high-impact AI deployment in the agriculture and food sectors.