Talk:Conagra Brands/Archive 2

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1970s History update 2

Hi editors, for my next request of the 1971-1999 section I'd like to address the fourth, fifth sentences. I was able to find sources to support information in those sentences and have suggestions to make the language a little less sensational. I suggest replacing those sentences with the text in the box below.

The 1970s brought the company to the brink of ruin, as the company lost money attempting to expand into the fertilizer, catfish, and pet product industries, and as commodity speculation wiped out ConAgra's margins on raw foods. However, losses suffered in 1974 from bad investments and commodities speculation had the company facing bankruptcy.[1] In 1974, C. Michael "Mike" Harper, an experienced food industry executive, took over the firm and brought it back from the brink of bankruptcy. ConAgra hired Pillsbury executive C. Michael Harper to be its chief operating officer in the fall of 1974 and tasked him with stabilizing the company.[2][3]

References

  1. ^ Blyskal, Jeff (October 24, 1983). ""The best damn food company in the U.S."". Forbes.
  2. ^ Gorman, John (October 6, 1986). "ConAgra makes high living off the fat of the land". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  3. ^ Smith, Harrison (May 30, 2016). "Charles M. Harper, CEO who transformed ConAgra into global powerhouse, dies at 88". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 22, 2023.

What I've done:

  • Removed unsourced content
  • Removed sensational language like "brink of ruin" and replaced it with more neutral phrasing
  • Added sources to previously unsourced sentences and rewrote sentences to better reflect what sources said

Please let me know what you think! Thanks in advance for taking the time to look. RWConagra (talk) 19:32, 25 July 2023 (UTC)

If you could re-iterate what the different text colors mean? For example, the text you have above is in green font and in red font. But I don't see where it states what the differences are between the two.[a] Please advise, and kindly change {{Edit COI}} |ans= to no when ready. Thanks,  Spintendo  21:57, 25 July 2023 (UTC)

Notes

  1. ^ I would note that WP:COLOR states "do not use colored text or background unless its status is also indicated using another method, such as an accessible symbol matched to a legend, or footnote labels."
@Spintendo: Apologies, red is the old text to be deleted, green is the proposed replacement. Please let me know if you have any tips for exactly how you'd like these edit requests formatted so we can be on the same page for future requests. RWConagra (talk) 18:13, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
Your use of color is perfectly fine with me, I just needed to know what those colors meant. If your proposal is approved, the section would read as follows: "NCM changed its name to ConAgra in 1971. The name is a combination of the Latin words con ("with") and agrī ("soil" or "earth"). It went public and began trading on the NYSE two years later. However, losses suffered in 1974 from bad investments and commodities speculation had the company facing bankruptcy. ConAgra hired Pillsbury executive C. Michael Harper to be its chief operating officer in the fall of 1974 and tasked him with stabilizing the company." The use of the word however in the fourth sentence needs clarification. It's not clear how the company going public and beginning trading acts as a contrast or as a contradiction to the company's losses in 1974.[a] Companies that trade on the NYSE occasionally go bankrupt, so the idea that being listed as an NYSE stock is akin to bankruptcy armor which should have protected the company from encountering losses does not register (if that's the contradiction delineated by the use of "however"). Perhaps a better word could be used. Please advise. Regards,  Spintendo  01:05, 28 July 2023 (UTC)
You should use the TextDiff template for these, as it's a consistent way of showing what you want to be changed. It's also easier to use. Deauthorized. (talk) 01:08, 28 July 2023 (UTC)

Notes

  1. ^ How·ev·er: (adverb) used to introduce a statement that contrasts with or seems to contradict something that has been said previously.
@Spintendo: I'm perfectly okay with removing "however" to add clarity to the sentence. We can cut that if you like. @Deauthorized:, good tip, thanks! I hadn't seen that. I'll give that a try on the next request. RWConagra (talk) 17:54, 31 July 2023 (UTC)

Reply 31-JUL-2023

Below you will see where proposals from your request have been quoted with reviewer decisions and feedback inserted underneath, either accepting, declining or otherwise commenting upon your proposal(s). Please read the enclosed notes within the proposal review section below for information on each request.  Spintendo  19:01, 31 July 2023 (UTC)

Edit request review 31-JUL-2023

Losses suffered in 1974 from bad investments and commodities speculation had the company facing bankruptcy.
 Unable to review.[note 1]


ConAgra hired C. Michael Harper to be its COO in the fall of 1974, and tasked him with stabilizing the company.
 Approved.Cite error: There are <ref> tags on this page without content in them (see the help page).


___________

  1. ^ The Forbes source used for this claim is not accessible, and no text was provided using the |quote= parameter.

@Spintendo: Thanks for changing that sentence. The updated Forbes source with the quote is here:
Losses suffered in 1974 from bad investments and commodities speculation had the company facing bankruptcy.[1]

References

  1. ^ Blyskal, Jeff (October 24, 1983). ""The best damn food company in the U.S."". Forbes. 'We had damn near gone bankrupt,' says ConAgra Inc. Chairman Charles (Mike) Harper. The year was 1975. ConAgra had taken heavy losses the year before from commodities speculations, poor controls and bad investments.

Does that work? Please let me know what you think! RWConagra (talk) 14:50, 1 August 2023 (UTC)

 Approved That works perfectly. Thank you kindly and regards,  Spintendo  22:35, 1 August 2023 (UTC)
Thanks for doing that! RWConagra (talk) 18:28, 2 August 2023 (UTC)

1970s History update 3

Hi editors, I'd like to propose further expanding the first paragraph of the 1971-1999 section with a bit more information on how Harper stabilized the company. That text is:

Harper began selling what he deemed to be unnecessary buildings and plots of land owned by the company, as well as entire divisions that did not align with ConAgra's new direction as a company that primarily dealt with basic food items.[1] By 1976, Harper sold 25 assets and reduced the company debt by $35 million.[2] He was named chief executive officer (CEO) that year. ConAgra's gross sales topped $1 billion for the first time in 1981.[3]

References

  1. ^ Smith, Harrison (May 30, 2016). "Charles M. Harper, CEO who transformed ConAgra into global powerhouse, dies at 88". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  2. ^ Blyskal, Jeff (October 24, 1983). "Food Company in the U.S.". Forbes. Altogether some 25 different assets were lopped off to reduce total debt by $35 million. The line was drawn between prudent hedging in grain and reckless speculation. By 1976, says Harper, "we had gone through hell and won."
  3. ^ "Key dates in Conagra Brands' 100-year history". Omaha World Herald. October 6, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2023.

Let me know what you think! RWConagra (talk) 18:28, 2 August 2023 (UTC)

Approved. Appears to be an improvement. I was unable to verify the Forbes reference but have still included it. Pabsoluterince (talk) 12:47, 4 August 2023 (UTC)
Thanks for doing that! RWConagra (talk) 15:30, 8 August 2023 (UTC)

1970s History update 4

Hi editors, I saw that the third paragraph of the 1970s section didn't have any sources. I decided to go ahead and find a few to support that section. What follows is my suggestion to replace the third paragraph entirely.

−
The company set off on a two-decade-long buying spree, purchasing over one hundred prepared food brands, starting with its 1980 purchase of [[Banquet Foods]]. It moved heavily into the frozen food business and the packaged meat industry, and then picked up a selection of other brands from firms like [[RJR Nabisco]] and [[Beatrice Foods]] (including [[Hunt-Wesson]] and [[Swift-Eckrich]]) among others, as the [[leveraged buyout]]s of the 1980s resulted in the divestiture or breakup of many major American consumer product firms. In 1993 alone it purchased $500 million in smaller firms, and in 1998 it purchased another $480 million in brands from [[Nabisco]].<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i>[[Wikipedia:Citation needed|<span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (June 2023)">citation needed</span>]]</i>]</sup>
+
After returning to profitability, ConAgra began making numerous acquisitions. It acquired approximately 200 companies over a 20-year period, including [[Banquet Foods]] in 1980, [[Gavilon|Peavey]] in 1982, [[Armour and Company]] in 1983, Monfort in 1987, [[Lamb Weston]] in 1988, and [[Beatrice Foods]] in 1990. The acquisitions of Monfort and Beatrice made ConAgra the world's largest [[meat-packing industry|meatpacker]] and second-largest [[food processing|food processor]], respectively. By the mid-1980s, ConAgra was [[vertical integration|vertically integrated]] and manufactured or supplied all manner of products in its supply chain, including seed, fertilizer, tires, and clothing. ConAgra also created brands during this time, including the [[Healthy Choice]] line of prepackaged dinners, launched in 1988.

References

  1. ^ Blyskal, Jeff (October 24, 1983). ""The best damn food company in the U.S."". Forbes. Further improvement in the still-mending existing business, for one. And the right acquisitions could both expand the company and move it into higher-value-added production by going down the line toward the consumer… One of Harper's biggest acquisitions -- and one that illuminates his strategy -- was Banquet Foods in 1980…Mike Harper feels that Peavey Co., bought last year for $165 million in stock and cash… Now Harper is giving Greyhound Corp. some $166 million in stock and cash for Armour Food Co.'s $1.8 billion revenues…
  2. ^ Smith, Harrison (May 30, 2016). "Charles M. Harper, CEO who transformed ConAgra into global powerhouse, dies at 88". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Gorman, John (October 6, 1986). "ConAgra makes high living off the fat of the land". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  4. ^ "Key dates in Conagra Brands' 100-year history". Omaha World Herald. October 6, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2023.

What I've done:

  • Sourced unsourced content
  • Revised figures about acquisitions to reflect sources
  • Added a few more relevant purchases
  • Removed bit about leveraged buyouts as that was not really about Conagra and not talked about in the sources I found
  • Refocused paragraph to primarily be about the 1980s
  • Added a bit about becoming largest meat packer; I felt like that was a relevant bit of information
  • Added a bit about becoming vertically integrated; I think that information shows how diversified the company portfolio became in just a few years
  • Added a bit about starting Healthy Choice brand; that seemed notable since it has its own Wikipedia article

Ultimately not much of the old paragraph is left but I still wanted to try out the TextDiff template that Deauthorized showed me. Let me know what you think of these changes! RWConagra (talk) 15:30, 8 August 2023 (UTC)

The request needs to do its best to follow WP:INTEGRITY. The Forbes source was published in 1983, however, In the text proposed to be added to the article, you have it referencing information that occurred in 1987, 1988, and 1990. Regards,  Spintendo  17:36, 8 August 2023 (UTC)
@Spintendo: Apologies, updated text is below:
−
The company set off on a two-decade-long buying spree, purchasing over one hundred prepared food brands, starting with its 1980 purchase of [[Banquet Foods]]. It moved heavily into the frozen food business and the packaged meat industry, and then picked up a selection of other brands from firms like [[RJR Nabisco]] and [[Beatrice Foods]] (including [[Hunt-Wesson]] and [[Swift-Eckrich]]) among others, as the [[leveraged buyout]]s of the 1980s resulted in the divestiture or breakup of many major American consumer product firms. In 1993 alone it purchased $500 million in smaller firms, and in 1998 it purchased another $480 million in brands from [[Nabisco]].<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i>[[Wikipedia:Citation needed|<span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (June 2023)">citation needed</span>]]</i>]</sup>
+
After returning to profitability, ConAgra began making numerous acquisitions. It acquired approximately 200 companies over a 20-year period, including [[Banquet Foods]] in 1980, [[Gavilon|Peavey]] in 1982, [[Armour and Company]] in 1983, Monfort in 1987, [[Lamb Weston]] in 1988, and [[Beatrice Foods]] in 1990. The acquisitions of Monfort and Beatrice made ConAgra the world's largest [[meat-packing industry|meatpacker]] and second-largest [[food processing|food processor]], respectively. By the mid-1980s, ConAgra was [[vertical integration|vertically integrated]] and manufactured or supplied all manner of products in its supply chain, including seed, fertilizer, tires, and clothing. ConAgra also created brands during this time, including the [[Healthy Choice]] line of prepackaged dinners, launched in 1988.


Here is what the text looks like when rendered:
After returning to profitability, ConAgra began making numerous acquisitions. It acquired approximately 200 companies over a 20-year period, including Banquet Foods in 1980, Peavey in 1982, Armour and Company in 1983,[1] Monfort in 1987, Lamb Weston in 1988, and Beatrice Foods in 1990. The acquisitions of Monfort and Beatrice made ConAgra the world's largest meatpacker and second-largest food processor, respectively.[2][3] By the mid-1980s, ConAgra was vertically integrated and manufactured or supplied all manner of products in its supply chain, including seed, fertilizer, tires, and clothing.[3] ConAgra also created brands during this time, including the Healthy Choice line of prepackaged dinners, launched in 1988.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b Blyskal, Jeff (October 24, 1983). ""The best damn food company in the U.S."". Forbes. Further improvement in the still-mending existing business, for one. And the right acquisitions could both expand the company and move it into higher-value-added production by going down the line toward the consumer… One of Harper's biggest acquisitions -- and one that illuminates his strategy -- was Banquet Foods in 1980…Mike Harper feels that Peavey Co., bought last year for $165 million in stock and cash… Now Harper is giving Greyhound Corp. some $166 million in stock and cash for Armour Food Co.'s $1.8 billion revenues…
  2. ^ a b Smith, Harrison (May 30, 2016). "Charles M. Harper, CEO who transformed ConAgra into global powerhouse, dies at 88". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d Gorman, John (October 6, 1986). "ConAgra makes high living off the fat of the land". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Key dates in Conagra Brands' 100-year history". Omaha World Herald. October 6, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
Let me know if that works! RWConagra (talk) 20:53, 8 August 2023 (UTC)
 Implemented Everything except that which was referenced by Omaha World Herald and Chicago Tribune, which are both paywalled. (In addition to being paywalled, the Tribune source [ref name "Trib4"] was also removed as reference for events occurring in 87, 88 and 1990, since it was published in 1986.) Regards,  Spintendo  08:14, 9 August 2023 (UTC)
@Spintendo: That is certainly strange! I was able to view a web version of the Tribune story. At any rate, I was able to locate a print version on newspapers.com as well, on pages 41 and 46. I've updated those final two sentences with quotes in the references as well, what do you think?
By the mid-1980s, ConAgra was vertically integrated and manufactured or supplied all manner of products in its supply chain, including fertilizer, tires, and clothing.[1] ConAgra also created brands during this time, including the Healthy Choice line of prepackaged dinners, launched in 1988.[2]

References

  1. ^ Gorman, John (October 6, 1986). "ConAgra makes high living off the fat of the land". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 23, 2023. Indeed, anywhere you look along the long line of ConAgra companies you will find some link to the food chain. ConAgra companies sell pesticides to keep the bugs off the crops ConAgra has fertilized so that when the crops mature they can be traded by ConAgra`s trading companies or fed to the livestock that will become processed meat ConAgra eventually will market through Armour or Banquet… ConAgra sells clothing to farmers who are harvesting wheat on vehicles treading on tires bought from ConAgra that haul wheat to ConAgra flour mills…
  2. ^ "Key dates in Conagra Brands' 100-year history". Omaha World Herald. October 6, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2023. 1988: ConAgra joins with a partner to acquire Lamb Weston, a leading potato processor. ConAgra later comes to own the entire Lamb Weston operation, and it is the centerpiece of its commercial foods division serving restaurants and institutions. The first Healthy Choice frozen dinners are introduced.
I did remove seed in this updated version. My original proposal was not incorrect. I wanted to make sure it was perfectly aligned with the timestamps and sources used. Let me know what you think! RWConagra (talk) 16:27, 15 August 2023 (UTC)
A link to the timeline from the Omaha World-Herald covering this information has been placed in the external links section. Regards,  Spintendo  15:48, 16 August 2023 (UTC)
I see Spintendo added a source I proposed to External links, but did not address whether the content I proposed is appropriate. @Pabsoluterince:, would you be willing to offer a third opinion on this? I'd love some feedback on if the wording I proposed above is appropriate. RWConagra (talk) 14:26, 17 August 2023 (UTC)
I will look when I have some time. What I currently see is a WP:WALLOFTEXT. Pabsoluterince (talk) 18:16, 19 August 2023 (UTC)
I added most of what was requested. Tell me if you think it can be improved. See also WP:PAYWALL Pabsoluterince (talk) 21:02, 19 August 2023 (UTC)
@Pabsoluterince:, thanks so much for being willing to take a look, I know there was quite a lot there. I think your changes make sense. I hope including the quotes from those sources worked for WP:PAYWALL issues. RWConagra (talk) 15:36, 22 August 2023 (UTC)

1970s history update 5

Hi editors, for my next request, I suggest adding a transition paragraph to the end of the 1971-1999 section which will lead into some content from the Criticism section I propose moving here, in line with WP:NOCRIT. You can see the full extent of the text I will be proposing to add here, but given the tricky nature of the content, I thought it would be better if I broke those additions up into much smaller requests. I think this transition paragraph will provide a good foundation for that information.

For this request, I suggest adding the following:

During this period of growth, ConAgra also came under greater scrutiny for its business practices, including the demolition of the Jobbers Canyon Historic District to build the company's new headquarters;[1] its use of pesticides; sanitary and labor practices in its meat processing divisions; and the pricing of consumer goods.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Historic district at issue in Omaha". The New York Times. December 13, 1987. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  2. ^ Smith, Harrison (May 30, 2016). "Charles M. Harper, CEO who transformed ConAgra into global powerhouse, dies at 88". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 22, 2023.

I'd note that the Washington Post source cited is already in the article, I'm including the full reference here for visibility. Please let me know what you think! RWConagra (talk) 15:36, 22 August 2023 (UTC)

ClockC Will do in 4 hours, if not done until then NotAGenious (talk) 08:41, 23 August 2023 (UTC)
 Partly done: with a bit of rewording and commas.
−
During this period of growth, ConAgra also came under greater scrutiny for its business practices, including the demolition of the [[Jobbers Canyon Historic District]] to build the company's new headquarters; its use of pesticides; sanitary and labor practices in its meat processing divisions; and the pricing of consumer goods.
+
During this period, ConAgra was also criticized for some of its business practices, including the demolition of the [[Jobbers Canyon Historic District]] to build the company's new headquarters, the company's use of pesticides, sanitary and labor practices in its meat processing divisions and the pricing of consumer goods.


Let me know what you think, sorry for the delay! NotAGenious (talk) 14:22, 29 August 2023 (UTC)

@NotAGenious:, no worries on the wait! Those changes make sense to me, thanks for doing that! RWConagra (talk) 16:50, 29 August 2023 (UTC)

1970s history update 6

Hi editors, I'm back again with another request, this time to add content from the Demolition of historic site section to the appropriate place in the company history. You can see the full idea I had here, but given the scale of the changes I thought it would be better to make requests in smaller chunks. I request that this be added after the current last paragraph in the 1970s section.

With this section, I cut a fair bit of information that was redundant given other rewrites (like Harper's position), was unsourced or couldn't be sourced to the NYT article listed (the NYT article came out in 1987, it couldn't have reported on the final result of the demolition that happened two years later), and information better suited to be in another section (the relocation to Chicago). My suggested content for the 1970s section is below:

In 1987, Harper threatened to move ConAgra's headquarters out of Omaha unless the city approved the demolition of Jobbers Canyon, a warehouse district located along the Missouri River. The district had been declared a historical site and its demolition was opposed by historical preservation groups, but the city ultimately capitulated, razing the district in 1989. As of 1994, it was the largest destruction of a historic site in the United States.[3]: 5–6 

References

  1. ^ a b "Historic district at issue in Omaha". The New York Times. December 13, 1987. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Smith, Harrison (May 30, 2016). "Charles M. Harper, CEO who transformed ConAgra into global powerhouse, dies at 88". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  3. ^ Gratz, Roberta Brandes (1994). The Living City: How America's Cities are being Revitalized by Thinking Small in a Big Way (New ed.). Washington, D.C.: Preservation Press. ISBN 0891332464. Retrieved March 24, 2023.

Overall, I think what I have done is an improvement, and most importantly, is verifiable, but am open to further discussion! Thanks for taking the time to review. RWConagra (talk) 16:50, 29 August 2023 (UTC)

Approved This was a much needed improvement to the previously existing section covering this information, which was largely unsourced. Regards,  Spintendo  01:46, 31 August 2023 (UTC)
@Spintendo:, thank you so much! RWConagra (talk) 16:18, 31 August 2023 (UTC)

1970s history update 7

Hi editors, I've got another request, this time to add content from the Fraud and bribery section to the 1970s section. I think this would best fit after the current last paragraph in that section.

With this paragraph, I've reworked some of the information to flow a bit better and be more succinct per WP:SUMMARYSTYLE, added information present in sources used in this article but not included at this time, added the resolution of some of these events, and added and updated references. My suggested content is below:

−
In 1997, ConAgra pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges that its Peavey Grain unit illegally sprayed water on stored [[grain]] to increase its weight and value and also bribed federal inspectors. The company agreed to pay $8.3 million to resolve the charges, which included a $4.4 million criminal fine, $3.45 million as compensation for illegal profits and $450,000 to reimburse the [[U.S. Department of Agriculture]] for storage and investigation expenses. Conagra had also paid $2 million to settle a related civil case filed by a group of Indiana farmers.

[[Multinational Monitor]], a corporate watchdog organization, named Conagra one of the 'Top 100 Corporate Criminals of the 1990s'.

+
ConAgra was found guilty of tampering with scales when measuring the weight of incoming birds from Alabama chicken farmers in 1989 and settled a [[class action]] suit in 1995 levied against ConAgra, [[Hormel Foods]], and Delta Pride Catfish for conspiring with other companies to [[price fixing|fix the price]] of [[catfish]], though no company admitted wrongdoing in the case. Two years later, ConAgra pleaded guilty in a federal case to spraying water on grain in its Peavey unit, fraudulently increasing the grain's weight to boost profits, and bribing federal officials. The company was charged $8.3 million for the case. It also settled a civil suit with farmers in Indiana for $2 million. ConAgra was named one of the "Top 100 Corporate Criminals of the 1990s" by the ''[[Multinational Monitor]]''.

Here's what the text looks like when rendered:

ConAgra was found guilty of tampering with scales when measuring the weight of incoming birds from Alabama chicken farmers in 1989 and settled a class action suit in 1995 levied against ConAgra, Hormel Foods, and Delta Pride Catfish for conspiring with other companies to fix the price of catfish, though no company admitted wrongdoing in the case.[3][4] Two years later, ConAgra pleaded guilty in a federal case to spraying water on grain in its Peavey unit, fraudulently increasing the grain's weight to boost profits, and bribing federal officials. The company was charged $8.3 million for the case. It also settled a civil suit with farmers in Indiana for $2 million.[5] ConAgra was named one of the "Top 100 Corporate Criminals of the 1990s" by the Multinational Monitor.[6]

References

  1. ^ "Conagra Set to Settle Criminal Charges It Increased Weight and Value of Grain". The New York Times. March 19, 1997. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  2. ^ "The Top 100 Corporate Criminals of the 1990s". Multinational Monitor. 20 (7–8). July–August 1999.
  3. ^ a b Smith, Harrison (May 30, 2016). "Charles M. Harper, CEO who transformed ConAgra into global powerhouse, dies at 88". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Hormel and Conagra Settle Catfish Suit". The New York Times. Bloomberg News. December 30, 1995. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Conagra Set to Settle Criminal Charges It Increased Weight and Value of Grain". The New York Times. Bloomberg News. March 20, 1997. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  6. ^ a b "The Top 100 Corporate Criminals of the 1990s". Multinational Monitor. 20 (7–8). July–August 1999. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  • Note: The Washington Post source used here is already cited in the article, I just included the full reference for visibility.

I know there is quite a bit there, so if editors would prefer that I break this request up a bit more, please let me know! Overall, I think this is an improvement and a more complete and accurate examination of events during the 1990s. I also think it flows better and is better aligned with WP:NOCRIT. Please let me know what you think! RWConagra (talk) 16:18, 31 August 2023 (UTC)

Reply 31-AUG-2023

Below you will see where proposals from your request have been quoted with reviewer decisions and feedback inserted underneath, either accepting, declining or otherwise commenting upon your proposal(s). Please read the enclosed notes within the proposal review section below for information on each request.  Spintendo  21:16, 1 September 2023 (UTC)

Edit request review 31-AUG-2023

ConAgra was found guilty of tampering with scales when measuring the weight of incoming birds from Alabama chicken farmers in 1989 and settled a class action suit in 1995 levied against ConAgra, Hormel Foods, and Delta Pride Catfish for conspiring with other companies to fix the price of catfish
 Approved.Cite error: There are <ref> tags on this page without content in them (see the help page).


though no company admitted wrongdoing in the case.
no Declined.[note 1]


Two years later, ConAgra pleaded guilty in a federal case to spraying water on grain in its Peavey unit, fraudulently increasing the grain's weight to boost profits, and bribing federal officials. The company was charged $8.3 million for the case. It also settled a civil suit with farmers in Indiana for $2 million
 Approved.Cite error: There are <ref> tags on this page without content in them (see the help page).


ConAgra was named one of the "Top 100 Corporate Criminals of the 1990s" by the Multinational Monitor.
no Declined.[note 2]


___________

  1. ^ The admission of "no wrongdoing" during a case and its settlement stages is merely an utterace made by the individuals within the case, and is not a determination made by a judge or by the court as a whole. This proposed wording also contradicts the wording at the beginning of the proposal, which states "ConAgra was found guilty." The fact that the case was settled with monitary payments and/or concluded with a finding of guilty speaks louder than any utterances.
  2. ^ Although the Multinational Monitor is independently notable, their "Top 100 Corporate Criminals of the 1990's" designation is not. The only subheading in that article mentions the "10 Worst corporations" but none of the information in that section is referenced, nor does it come close to mentioning the subject organization. For these reasons, this claim in the ConAgra article has been deleted.

@Spintendo:, thank you so much! Your edits and changes make sense to me. RWConagra (talk) 16:17, 7 September 2023 (UTC)

Request to move paragraph

Hi editors, now that the Fraud and bribery paragraph is updated, I have another request to move that paragraph (beginning with "ConAgra was found guilty of tampering with scales when measuring the weight of incoming birds from Alabama chicken farmers in 1989 and settled a class action suit in 1995 levied against ConAgra, Hormel Foods, and Delta Pride Catfish for conspiring with other companies to fix the price of catfish…") to the 1971-1999 subsection of History.

The resulting move would make the bottom of the 1971-1999 subsection of History look like this:

...

During this period, ConAgra was also criticized for some of its business practices, including the demolition of the Jobbers Canyon Historic District to build the company's new headquarters, the company's use of pesticides, sanitary and labor practices in its meat processing divisions and the pricing of consumer goods.[1][2] In 1987, Harper threatened to move ConAgra's headquarters out of Omaha unless the city approved the demolition of Jobbers Canyon, a warehouse district located along the Missouri River. The district had been declared a historical site and its demolition was opposed by historical preservation groups, but the city ultimately capitulated, razing the district in 1989. As of 1994, it was the largest destruction of a historic site in the United States.[3]: 5–6 

ConAgra was found guilty of tampering with scales when measuring the weight of incoming birds from Alabama chicken farmers in 1989 and settled a class action suit in 1995 levied against ConAgra, Hormel Foods, and Delta Pride Catfish for conspiring with other companies to fix the price of catfish.[4][5] Two years later, ConAgra pleaded guilty in a federal case to spraying water on grain in its Peavey unit, fraudulently increasing the grain's weight to boost profits, and bribing federal officials. The company was charged $8.3 million for the case. It also settled a civil suit with farmers in Indiana for $2 million.[6]

References

  1. ^ "Historic district at issue in Omaha". The New York Times. December 13, 1987. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  2. ^ Smith, Harrison (May 30, 2016). "Charles M. Harper, CEO who transformed ConAgra into global powerhouse, dies at 88". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  3. ^ Gratz, Roberta Brandes (1994). The Living City: How America's Cities are being Revitalized by Thinking Small in a Big Way (New ed.). Washington, D.C.: Preservation Press. ISBN 0891332464. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  4. ^ Smith, Harrison (May 30, 2016). "Charles M. Harper, CEO who transformed ConAgra into global powerhouse, dies at 88". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  5. ^ "Hormel and Conagra Settle Catfish Suit". The New York Times. Bloomberg News. December 30, 1995. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  6. ^ "Conagra Set to Settle Criminal Charges It Increased Weight and Value of Grain". The New York Times. Bloomberg News. March 20, 1997. Retrieved March 21, 2023.

I think this would best fit after the current last paragraph in that section. Doing so will help the History section offer a more complete and accurate examination of events during the 1990s. Also, it flows better and is better aligned with WP:NOCRIT. Please let me know what you think! RWConagra (talk) 16:17, 7 September 2023 (UTC)

 Implemented  Spintendo  18:32, 8 September 2023 (UTC)
@Spintendo:, thank you so much! RWConagra (talk) 15:38, 12 September 2023 (UTC)

1970s history update 8

Hi editors, I thought I'd round out the 1971–1999 section with some notes on acquisitions made during the 1990s and revenue growth. This is largely new content, but there is a slight expansion on content that was in the article previously related to acquisitions from RJR Nabisco which was removed during a previous request.

By 1992, ConAgra's annual sales had topped $21 billion.[1] The company continued to make acquisitions and launch product lines throughout the 1990s, including Marie Callender's frozen product line in 1994[2] and GoodMark Foods in 1998.[3] Also in 1998, ConAgra acquired several brands from RJR Nabisco, including Egg Beaters and Nabisco's table spread unit, which included margarines under the Parkay and Blue Bonnet brands.[4]

References

  1. ^ Feder, Barnaby J. (October 30, 1997). "Cultivating Conagra: Agribusiness Giant Seeks Balance Between Freedom And Cooperation for Units". The New York Times. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  2. ^ Elder, Laura Elizabeth (November 24, 1996). "Marie Callender's chain returns for another piece of local pie". Houston Business Journal. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  3. ^ "ConAgra to acquire GoodMark for 216M". Triangle Business Journal. June 18, 1998. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  4. ^ Gunset, George (July 22, 1998). "ConAgra to acquire 2 Nabisco units". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 23, 2023.

I think this does a good job of completing the history from these decades. Please let me know what you think! RWConagra (talk) 15:38, 12 September 2023 (UTC)

 Done Sources match requested content. @RWConagra: STEMinfo (talk) 21:50, 18 September 2023 (UTC)
@STEMinfo:, thanks for doing that! RWConagra (talk) 18:03, 19 September 2023 (UTC)

2000s history update 1

Hi editors, I've got another request for the History section, this time focusing on the 2000–2015 subsection. I propose updating the first sentence of that section based on the paragraph I had posted in my draft. I think this suggested text better fleshes out those early years of the millennium and is more accurate. It also relocates some text from the Genetically modified food section to keep a better chronology. Since this is so different from the single sentence I don't think a comparison would be especially helpful here on the Talk page. Here's what I propose:

ConAgra rebranded as ConAgra Foods in 2000.[1] The first half of the ensuing decade was marked by the sale of the company's fresh and refrigerated meat units, beginning with the sale of its majority stake in Swift & Company to Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst and Booth Creek Management in 2002. The Swift sale ended ConAgra's involvement in the fresh beef and pork industries.[2][3] The same year, ConAgra joined a coalition of food producers and trade associations, including PepsiCo, General Mills, and CropLife International to defeat Oregon Ballot Measure 27, which would have required the labeling of genetically modified food in the state.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Key dates in Conagra Brands' 100-year history". Omaha World Herald. October 6, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2023. 2000: ConAgra Inc. becomes ConAgra Foods Inc.
  2. ^ Jackson, Bill (November 26, 2002). "ConAgra beef sold". Greeley Tribune. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  3. ^ "ConAgra Foods completes sale of fresh beef and pork business". September 19, 2002. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  4. ^ Callahan, Patricia (September 30, 2002). "Food Industry Is Campaigning Against Oregon GMO Proposal". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 21, 2023.

Note: the Omaha World Herald story is already cited in the article, I'm including the full citation here for visibility and to include the quote from it.

I've also included a press release in these sources. The release is already cited in the article, and I'm citing it in particular for the basic fact "The Swift sale ended ConAgra's involvement in the fresh beef and pork industries." I believe this is allowed under WP:ABOUTSELF but please let me know if I'm interpreting that incorrectly.

Thanks in advance for taking a look! RWConagra (talk) 18:03, 19 September 2023 (UTC)

@RWConagra Your request is not clear whether text is to be deleted, It just says you want to "update the first sentence". If by "update" you mean replace, then the deleted text needs to also be posted here on the talk page. If by update you mean adding text and not deleting any text, then that can be easily accomplished, but you need to specify between the two. Please advise. Regards,  Spintendo  05:48, 21 September 2023 (UTC)
@Spintendo: Apologies for the confusion. I'm proposing to replace the existing opening sentence of the 2000s section with the following. This should make it more clear:
−
In 2002, ConAgra Foods sold its fresh meat operations under the name [[Swift & Company]] to [[Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst]], Inc. and Booth Creek Management.
+
ConAgra rebranded as ConAgra Foods in 2000. The first half of the ensuing decade was marked by the sale of the company's fresh and refrigerated meat units, beginning with the sale of its majority stake in [[Swift & Company]] to [[Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst]] and Booth Creek Management in 2002. The Swift sale ended ConAgra's involvement in the fresh beef and pork industries. The same year, ConAgra joined a coalition of food producers and trade associations, including [[PepsiCo]], [[General Mills]], and [[CropLife International]] to defeat [[2002 Oregon Ballot Measure 27|Oregon Ballot Measure 27]], which would have required the labeling of [[genetically modified food]] in the state.
Here is what the replacement text looks like when rendered:
ConAgra rebranded as ConAgra Foods in 2000.[2] The first half of the ensuing decade was marked by the sale of the company's fresh and refrigerated meat units, beginning with the sale of its majority stake in Swift & Company to Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst and Booth Creek Management in 2002. The Swift sale ended ConAgra's involvement in the fresh beef and pork industries.[3][4] The same year, ConAgra joined a coalition of food producers and trade associations, including PepsiCo, General Mills, and CropLife International to defeat Oregon Ballot Measure 27, which would have required the labeling of genetically modified food in the state.[5]

References

  1. ^ "ConAgra Foods Completes Sale Of Fresh Beef And Pork Business | Conagra Brands". Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Key dates in Conagra Brands' 100-year history". Omaha World Herald. October 6, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2023. 2000: ConAgra Inc. becomes ConAgra Foods Inc.
  3. ^ a b Jackson, Bill (November 26, 2002). "ConAgra beef sold". Greeley Tribune. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "ConAgra Foods completes sale of fresh beef and pork business". September 19, 2002. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Callahan, Patricia (September 30, 2002). "Food Industry Is Campaigning Against Oregon GMO Proposal". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
Let me know if that works! RWConagra (talk) 19:22, 21 September 2023 (UTC)
 Done @RWConagra: After swapping out press releases. We prefer third party sources. The information is shown to be more reliable, and it helps with notability. STEMinfo (talk) 19:43, 21 September 2023 (UTC)
@STEMinfo:, thanks for taking a look! RWConagra (talk) 20:30, 25 September 2023 (UTC)

Archiving needed

This talk page has become too long to navigate and edit quickly. The COI editor, as the main editor responsible for its length, is urged to begin the process of automated archiving in order to make the page more manageable. Thank you in advance for your help with this. Regards,  Spintendo  21:02, 25 September 2023 (UTC)

 Done RWConagra (talk) 16:48, 26 September 2023 (UTC)

2000s history update 2

Hi editors, continuing my effort to update the History section, for my next request I propose replacing the second paragraph of the 200–2015 section with the following:

−
In 2006, ConAgra Foods sold its Chicago-area-based refrigerated meats business ([[Butterball]], [[Eckrich]], [[Armour & Co.|Armour]]) to [[Smithfield Foods]]. ConAgra maintained a presence in Chicago by moving its [[Hunt-Wesson]] business there from California.
+
In 2006, the company sold its refrigerated meats divisions, including the [[Butterball]], [[Eckrich]], and Armour brands, to [[Smithfield Foods]] for $575 million. ConAgra CEO [[Gary Rodkin]] said the sale was part of an ongoing plan to "streamline" ConAgra's offerings. The same year, the company moved its [[Hunt-Wesson]] operations in [[Irvine, California]], and split the unit between Omaha and [[Naperville, Illinois]]. In 2007, ConAgra removed [[diacetyl]] from its microwave popcorn recipes following reports that the compound was linked to cases of [[Bronchiolitis obliterans]].

On the page, it would look like this:

In 2006, the company sold its refrigerated meats divisions, including the Butterball, Eckrich, and Armour brands, to Smithfield Foods for $575 million.[3] ConAgra CEO Gary Rodkin said the sale was part of an ongoing plan to "streamline" ConAgra's offerings.[4] The same year, the company closed its Hunt-Wesson operations in Irvine, California, and split the unit between Omaha and Naperville, Illinois.[5] In 2007, ConAgra removed diacetyl from its microwave popcorn recipes following reports that the compound was linked to cases of Bronchiolitis obliterans.[6]

References

  1. ^ Archives, L. A. Times (August 1, 2006). "Smithfield to Buy Most of ConAgra Meat Assets". Los Angeles Times.
  2. ^ "Less meat in ConAgra diet". tribunedigital-chicagotribune. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Smithfield to Buy Most of ConAgra Meat Assets". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. August 1, 2006. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Schmeltzer, John (February 3, 2006). "Less meat in ConAgra diet". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Galvin, Andrew (February 3, 2006). "ConAgra moving Irvine operations to cut costs". Orange County Register. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  6. ^ a b "ConAgra to drop popcorn chemical linked to lung ailment". USA Today. Associated Press. September 5, 2007. Retrieved March 21, 2023.

This does a few things, including cleaning up some language that wasn't really accurate about Hunt-Wesson, clarifying the sale of Butterball et. al., and moves content from the Diacetyl section up and trims it to focus the content on Conagra. Please let me know what you think! RWConagra (talk) 20:30, 25 September 2023 (UTC)

Reply 25-SEP-2023

🔼  Clarification requested  

  1. "and moves content from the Diacetyl section up and trims it to focus the content on Conagra." Any text which is "trimmed or moved" (these are your words) needs to clarify what is being trimmed and from where it is being moved. Please advise. Regards,  Spintendo  20:54, 25 September 2023 (UTC)
@Spintendo: Apologies for the confusion. I thought it might be a bit confusing to put it all together, but I've done so below. This is not how the text appears in the live article, but should convey what I'm hoping to achieve:
−
In 2006, ConAgra Foods sold its Chicago-area-based refrigerated meats business ([[Butterball]], [[Eckrich]], [[Armour & Co.|Armour]]) to [[Smithfield Foods]]. ConAgra maintained a presence in Chicago by moving its [[Hunt-Wesson]] business there from California. On September 4, 2007, the [[Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association]] recommended reduction of [[diacetyl]] in butter-like flavorings, such as those used in popcorn, due to cases of the potentially fatal disease [[bronchiolitis obliterans]] or "Popcorn Workers's Lung" appearing among plant workers exposed to diacetyl fumes, as well as in one case that involved a popcorn consumer. The next day ConAgra Foods announced that it would soon remove diacetyl from its [[Jiffy Pop]] and [[Orville Redenbacher's]] popcorn products.
+
In 2006, the company sold its refrigerated meats divisions, including the [[Butterball]], [[Eckrich]], and Armour brands, to [[Smithfield Foods]] for $575 million. ConAgra CEO [[Gary Rodkin]] said the sale was part of an ongoing plan to "streamline" ConAgra's offerings. The same year, the company moved its [[Hunt-Wesson]] operations in [[Irvine, California]], and split the unit between Omaha and [[Naperville, Illinois]]. In 2007, ConAgra removed [[diacetyl]] from its microwave popcorn recipes following reports that the compound was linked to cases of [[Bronchiolitis obliterans]].

References

  1. ^ Archives, L. A. Times (August 1, 2006). "Smithfield to Buy Most of ConAgra Meat Assets". Los Angeles Times.
  2. ^ "Less meat in ConAgra diet". tribunedigital-chicagotribune. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  3. ^ "ConAgra to drop popcorn chemical linked to lung ailment". USA Today. Associated Press. September 5, 2007.
  4. ^ "Smithfield to Buy Most of ConAgra Meat Assets". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. August 1, 2006. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  5. ^ Schmeltzer, John (February 3, 2006). "Less meat in ConAgra diet". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  6. ^ Galvin, Andrew (February 3, 2006). "ConAgra moving Irvine operations to cut costs". Orange County Register. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  7. ^ "ConAgra to drop popcorn chemical linked to lung ailment". USA Today. Associated Press. September 5, 2007. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
To be clear, these sentences in the old text in the template come from the Diacetyl section in the live article: "On September 4, 2007, the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association recommended reduction of diacetyl in butter-like flavorings, such as those used in popcorn, due to cases of the potentially fatal disease bronchiolitis obliterans or "Popcorn Workers's Lung" appearing among plant workers exposed to diacetyl fumes, as well as in one case that involved a popcorn consumer. The next day ConAgra Foods announced that it would soon remove diacetyl from its Jiffy Pop and Orville Redenbacher's popcorn products." I am proposing it be replaced with " In 2007, ConAgra removed diacetyl from its microwave popcorn recipes following reports that the compound was linked to cases of Bronchiolitis obliterans." and moved to the History section as I think that's the place it makes the most sense.
Hope that helps! RWConagra (talk) 16:41, 26 September 2023 (UTC)
"This is not how the text appears in the live article, but should convey what I'm hoping to achieve" Unfortunately, what you're hoping to achieve is not conveyed with this request. The purpose of the {{TextDiff}} template is to show on the left-hand side the text as it currently appears in the article and on the right-hand side the text that is proposed to replace it. From your comment shown at the beginning of my reply post ("This is not how the text appears in the live article, but should convey what I'm hoping to achieve"), this is not how you've configured the template. You'll need to go back to the drawing board to configure a newer, clearer request for this to move forward. Regards,  Spintendo  22:57, 30 September 2023 (UTC)

Updated 2000s request

Hi editors, my last request proved to be too confusing, so I'm going to start a new one from scratch. I propose changing the second paragraph of the 2000–2015 section in the following way:

−
In 2006, ConAgra Foods sold its Chicago-area-based refrigerated meats business ([[Butterball]], [[Eckrich]], [[Armour & Co.|Armour]]) to [[Smithfield Foods]]. ConAgra maintained a presence in Chicago by moving its [[Hunt-Wesson]] business there from California.
+
In 2006, the company sold its refrigerated meats divisions, including the [[Butterball]], [[Eckrich]], and Armour brands, to [[Smithfield Foods]] for $575 million. ConAgra CEO [[Gary Rodkin]] said the sale was part of an ongoing plan to "streamline" ConAgra's offerings. The same year, the company moved its [[Hunt-Wesson]] operations in [[Irvine, California]], and split the unit between Omaha and [[Naperville, Illinois]].

On the page, it would look like this:

In 2006, the company sold its refrigerated meats divisions, including the Butterball, Eckrich, and Armour brands, to Smithfield Foods for $575 million.[3] ConAgra CEO Gary Rodkin said the sale was part of an ongoing plan to "streamline" ConAgra's offerings.[4] The same year, the company closed its Hunt-Wesson operations in Irvine, California, and split the unit between Omaha and Naperville, Illinois.[5]

References

  1. ^ Archives, L. A. Times (August 1, 2006). "Smithfield to Buy Most of ConAgra Meat Assets". Los Angeles Times.
  2. ^ "Less meat in ConAgra diet". tribunedigital-chicagotribune. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Smithfield to Buy Most of ConAgra Meat Assets". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. August 1, 2006. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Schmeltzer, John (February 3, 2006). "Less meat in ConAgra diet". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Galvin, Andrew (February 3, 2006). "ConAgra moving Irvine operations to cut costs". Orange County Register. Retrieved July 22, 2023.

This will help clean up language related to Hunt-Wesson that wasn't really accurate, clarifies details about the sale of Butterball and others, and replaces the Tribune with the OC Register as the cited Tribune article didn't support the claim being made. Please let me know what you think! RWConagra (talk) 17:54, 2 October 2023 (UTC)

 Partly done The second sentence, which contained a comment by (then) ConAgra CEO Gary Rodkin pertaining to the company's "streamlining plan", was omitted. Regards,  Spintendo  19:01, 2 October 2023 (UTC)
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