Frequently Asked Questions

A full-service Long Prairie rendering facility that is part of Minnesota-based Farmers Union Industries (FUI), which has served the agricultural sector and farmers since 1929. Central Bi-Products offers full-service rendering for the agriculture industry, providing resource recovery of organic materials, including multi-species material, poultry raw material, feathers, and blood. CBI picks up and processes material from independent meat processing facilities, along with material from significant beef, poultry, and pork processors, and turns it into quality animal feed ingredients, as well as other products. Also, the CBI plant offers protein separation, providing total protein product segregation that also supports high quality animal feed ingredients.

CBI has operated in Long Prairie since 1947. With 125 employees, CBI is one of Long Prairie’s largest employers and its employees are active in local organizations and support non-profit organizations in a variety of ways.

CBI is investing more than $10 million in facility upgrades to improve system reliability, environmental performance, and regulatory compliance. These investments also strengthen long-term operations and demonstrate CBI’s commitment to environmental stewardship and the local community. The upgrades will also provide operational redundancies and will improve the facility’s ability to manage pollutants and improve water quality before discharge to the city’s municipal wastewater treatment plant. The CBI investments show its commitment to environmental stewardship and community benefit.

Some of the investments are related to a stipulation agreement with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) following alleged violations in 2023 and 2024 involving wastewater pretreatment operations. These allegations did not include any indication of direct health impacts to plant personnel or the general public.

Since 2023, CBI has invested millions of dollars in site improvements and is committing several million more on a supplemental environmental project. These improvements add redundancy, upgrade treatment systems, and enhance the facility’s ability to manage wastewater before it is reused or discharged to the city’s treatment plant.

Wastewater generated at the facility is treated on-site through an industrial pretreatment system. Treated water is either reused within the facility or discharged to the City of Long Prairie Wastewater Treatment Plant, which was expanded in 2021 and treats water from both residential and industrial sources.

Due to the nature of agricultural and food processing, wastewater can contain high levels of organic material. This can lead to the formation of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), a common by-product in wastewater, agricultural, and food-processing systems.

Yes. CBI is regulated and monitored by multiple agencies, including the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

CBI employs approximately 125 people and is one of Long Prairie’s larger employers. Recent investments have supported local and regional contractors and businesses, including plumbers, electricians, fuel providers, equipment suppliers, and welders.

As part of the agreement with the state, CBI agreed to pay a $3 million civil penalty. Under state regulation, 40% of that amount will be distributed to the Todd County Community Health & Human Services Department.

As noted by the state animal health board (Carcass Disposal | Minnesota Board of Animal Health), rendering companies like CBI are the “ultimate recyclers” providing an important service in agriculture and farming.

Without companies like CBI, the options to dispose of animal organic materials are limited to composting, landfills, incineration, or burying. CBI’s rendering operation provides an environmentally beneficial solution for the agriculture industry, Minnesota’s largest economic driver.

H₂S is a naturally occurring gas formed when organic material breaks down without oxygen. It smells like rotten eggs and is detectable at extremely low levels.

No. The human nose can detect H₂S long before it reaches harmful levels.

No. Many rural sources produce similar odors:

• Livestock manure

• Crop residue breakdown

• Wet soils

• Sulfur containing organic compounds containing organic compounds‑containing organic compounds

• Septic systems

Not typically. Outdoor odor levels are usually far below health risk thresholds. People may feel symptoms such as irritation or headaches, but these are due to odor annoyance, not chemical hazard risk thresholds. People may feel symptoms such as irritation or headaches, but these are due to risk thresholds.

Weather, humidity, wind, and farming activities all influence odor movement and intensity.

For additional technical information see Hydrogen Sulfide - Hazards | Occupational Safety and Health Administration

CBI will continue to share updates on facility operations, community involvement, environmental improvements, and monitoring through this website as work progresses.

As per the MPCA agreement, CBI will also host a community meeting to share plant upgrades and investments and other environmental compliance information.

To leave a comment or question email: cbilpcommunityconnect@centralbi.com

To leave a voicemail message, call 888-433-2819.