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11. Pension and Other Postretirement PlansThe Company has a defined benefit pension plan, which covers all eligible employees not participating in a labor negotiated plan. Plan benefits are generally based on years of service and employees' highest compensation during five consecutive years of employment. Annual payments to the pension trust fund are determined in compliance with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). The Company also sponsors plans that provide certain health care benefits for retired employees. Employees become eligible for these benefits upon meeting certain age and service requirements. The Company funds only the plans' annual cash requirements. The measurement date for the pension and other postretirement benefit plans is November 30. Reconciliation of the funded status of the plans and the amounts included in the balance sheets are as follows:
For measurement purposes, a 10.0% annual rate of increase in the per capita cost of covered health care benefits was assumed for 2003 and an annual rate of increase of 5.5% was assumed for all years thereafter. The health care cost trend rate assumption affects the amounts reported. For example, a 1% increase in the assumed trend rate for health care costs would have increased the service cost and the interest cost components of 2002 postretirement health care benefits expense by $0.2 million and the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation by $3.3 million as of December 31, 2002. In contrast, a 1% decrease in the assumed trend rate for health care costs would have decreased the service cost and interest cost components of 2002 postretirement health care benefits expense by $0.2 million and the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation by $2.8 million as of December 31, 2002. Components of net periodic benefit cost are as follows:
In addition to the defined benefit pension plan, the Company has a noncontributory, supplemental executive retirement plan (SERP), which is an unfunded, defined benefit plan. The projected benefit obligation of the unfunded plan was $15.3 million and $14.4 million at December 31, 2002 and 2001, respectively. The accumulated benefit obligation was $11.9 million and $13.2 million at December 31, 2002 and 2001, respectively. Net periodic pension cost was $1.4 million, $1.2 million and $1.9 million for 2002, 2001 and 2000, respectively. The Company also has a discretionary capital accumulation plan (CAP), which is an unfunded, defined benefit plan. The projected benefit obligation and the accumulated benefit obligation of the unfunded plan were $26.8 million and $24.9 million at December 31, 2002 and 2001, respectively. The accrued discretionary CAP liability was $26.8 million and $24.9 million at December 31, 2002 and 2001, respectively. The expense for this plan was $1.7 million for 2002 and $0.0 million for 2001 and 2000. Certain eligible employees are covered by defined contribution plans. The expense for these plans was $4.9 million, $4.9 million and $5.8 million for 2002, 2001 and 2000, respectively.
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INTRODUCTION | HIGHLIGHTS OF 2002 | LETTER TO THE STAKEHOLDERS | DAIRY FOODS AG SERVICES | BOARD OF DIRECTORS | FINANCIAL REVIEW | SENIOR STRATEGY TEAM |